Today's post is written by a guest writer, Sarah Ratcliffe, who asked me if she could do a spot of freelance writing. I'm always happy to have someone help out with the blog and this today is her piece on a documentary called Footsteps of Thesiger.

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Following in Thesiger’s Footsteps

Venturing across the Empty Quarter with camels as your means of transport is not something that most of us would consider. A cruise and stay in a luxury hotel might be more up your street. However, in the 1940s British explorer Wilfred Thesiger undertook such expeditions in what we now know as Oman and the other countries in the area. At the end of last year, another Brit set off to repeat the challenge with the same means of transport. Now Adrian Hayes’s adventure can be seen in a documentary called ‘Footsteps of Thesiger’.

Sand, camels and dependence

Just to remind ourselves, the Empty Quarter or Rub al-Khali is a desert that covers parts of Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, and UAE. It is the largest sand expanse on the planet and experiences extreme temperatures. It is one of the harshest environments on earth. No wonder it is uninhabited. The Bedouin, with their extensive knowledge of desert terrain and vegetation and camel behaviour have made crossings feasible.

That is what Thesiger relied upon for his travels. Their expertise found the wells that would quench their thirst in the sands. He depended on them, and sometimes the use of disguise, to keep out of tribal conflict. His journeying was almost always uncomfortable – “always hungry and usually thirsty” – but incredibly satisfying, and he looked back to these times as among the best he had known. Though frustrated by their constant chatter, he loved and deeply respected his Bedouin companions and what they had helped him to achieve.

Hayes was one of a three-man team with Emiratis Saeed Rashed Al Mesafry and Ghafan Mohammed Al Jabry, who first trained him in camel-handling and desert survival. They set off from Salahah in early November with seven camels, a compass, basic medical provisions, some food and water, a knife and a rifle. Their camels, nature and Bedouin hospitality were to be, as they were for Thesiger, their lifelines.

The route was similar to that taken by Thesiger. Hayes did not attempt to re-enact the journey, as he felt that was impossible given the sixty-seven years that have passed in between. Rather the attempt was to follow in his footsteps. The route was from Salalah to Mughshin, Umm Zamoul, Liwa, Al Ain then into Abu Dhabi. They avoided GPS and satphones unless absolutely necessary. They did use satellite communications to provide updates on their progress.

A hiccup and concussion

Day One presented an unexpected hiccup when a combination of vehicles, onlookers, wild camels and a brewing storm “spooked the camels” as they were entering their first wadi. The three men were dismounted and two had to go to hospital for treatment for concussion. Not put off, they got back on their camels. Within a week they had navigated two wadis, travelled 100 km and were enjoying goat roasted before them on a fire, thanks to Sheikh Khalid who had invited them to his farm.

Hayes said he was overwhelmed by the visitors who joined them on his expedition to share personal stories of Thesiger. “Just like‘Mubarak Bin London’ [Thesiger] , I feel privileged to be seated at a campfire feasting on traditional food and listening to Arabic poetry and songs with the great people
I have encountered along the way.”

The team travelled an average of 45km per day, sometimes for eleven hours a day, to complete the 1,500 kilometre trip. They entered the UAE in late November and arrived in Abu Dhabi in mid December after a trip of around 45 days.

You can view a clip of the documentary Footsteps of Thesiger http://footstepsofthesiger.com/ The documentary premiered in the UAE, which sponsored the expedition, earlier this month. It is set to begin touring, sometimes with Hayes and Q&A sessions, so watch out for further announcements.

Alternatively, Thesiger’s “Arabian Sands” makes a fascinating read if you want to get a taste of what it is like to rely upon others, camels and a little luck to survive. It tells the story of his journeys across the Empty Quarter. He was very aware that the region was on the verge of change and his book preserves the desert he knew. In his own words “a memorial to a vanished past, a tribute to a once magnificent people”.

Popped My Nars & Illamsqua Cherry: Beautilate Contest

I was luckily enough to win Natasha's Cheeky Bitch giveaway a couple of weeks a go and I thought I'd share what I won with you all. I've never owned anything by any of these three brands for I was very excited. The llamasqua Blush is my new favourite blush of all time, expect a review soon! 

• Nars Illuminator in Copacabana 
• Illamasqua Cream Blush in Sob
• Real Techniques Blush Brush

Anyway winning her contest made me realise I haven't done one of my own in a while, expect some giveaways in the future.

x Onna x

Mackenzies Cafe & Deli

I originally blogged about this in June 2011 and it seems that the place is nearing completion and thus opening. Gordon Mackenzie (the guy behind Alive Events) is expanding his increasingly popular internet-ordering imported foods website, MackenziesDeli.com and is opening a cafe in MQ, underneath the Al Noor hall, just behind the Subway, next to the baby daycare place.

 

I took a sneak peak inside the store and snapped a few pictures - initial impressions (apart from it not yet being complete) is that it is actually going to be a pretty big spot, and it's got fancy Scottish themed wall paper. I'm sure the Caledonian society of Oman types will be pleased to see the Scottish Thistle featured in the Cafe.

There's no set opening date just yet - Oman being Oman and the licenses & permits process being a rather drawn out affair, but definitely before Ramadan! The store will also have a Pork room, as well as a Butchers & Cheese counter to boot - looks like Al Fair's stranglehold on Pork products may finally come to an end (with the exception of the frozen pork shop that I blogged about in 2009). Of course, you can still place an order on their website and have it delivered to your house anywhere in the Muscat area - cash on delivery. I highly recommend their fancy bangers!

Moving on, last night I learned that the Passage to India restaurant by Hatat House had a fire about a week ago which gutted it, and now the restaurant is closed for renovation. No word yet how bad the fire was, or how it happened, or even when they plan to reopen. Shame really, it was my favorite spot for a ruby murray in town - relatively cheap food (when comparing to Mumtaz Mahal or a "Shatti" restaurant") and licensed to boot.

The thing I liked most about it was the fact that it was out of the way and quiet. I hope they re-open soon, and if you have any info on what actually happened - do share!

More soon.

le fin.

Shakira Workouts and Diet Secrets

 Shakira Workouts and Diet Secrets

What you need to know:-

Shakira's workouts routines

Shakira's fitness secrets

Shakira's diet and exercises

 

Shakira must maintain a high level of fitness to pull off the long and slim look that she sports.Shakira doesn't let the cat out of the bag as far as any official "Shakira workout," but we can glean some of her strategies to getting such a great and truly feminine physique.Hugely successfully Colombian pop singer and dancer, Shakira (b. February 2, 1977) has won two Grammy Awards, seven Latin Grammy Awards, twelve Billboard Latin Music

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Omani product spotlight: Suroor potato chips

Time for another semi-regular post on local Omani products that I use. This one's a specific flavour of a type of crisps chips that I enjoy. Suroor's crinkle-cut salt and vinegar flavour are great - they are just like Ruffles, but only cost RO 1.050 for a big sack of I don't actually know how many bags - probably somewhere around 24.

I've looked for these chips to come in a big bag but can only seem to find them in snack-size in a large sack of them. I think Mehdi Foods LLC (owner of the Suroor brand) really took to heart the phrase "cheap as chips" as each snack-size bag only contains about 10 chips in it, an awful waste of packaging really, but super cheap.

There are other flavours but I don't really care for them, just the Salt & Vinegar ones for me! I also enjoy other local brands of chips too, but I'll save them for another time!

More soon!

le fin.

An amusing story from the UK involving a Kuwaiti

Being a Saturday, traditionally here the newspapers are fairly thin on "news" (not totally derelict, but fairly thin, a result of the weekend I guess). During lunch, I was reading news online, and found this story on the Telegraph, I've pasted it below:

Diplomatic protection officers came across the Arabic man as they patrolled outside Mr Blair’s £4.3 million townhouse in Connaught Square, Belgravia, central London in the early hours. When they asked the man, who appeared to be drunk, to stop urinating he allegedly refused to cooperate and a scuffle broke out. 

Officers eventually discharged the 50,000 volt taser in order to place the suspect, who spoke little English, under arrest. However the man collapsed and had to be taken to hospital, where it emerged he was a Kuwaiti government official, Ayedh Alrashidi. Mr Alrashidi had been staying in London in order to visit a family who was undergoing medical treatment in the UK. 

Described by associates as a “wealthy and peaceful man”, he had been staying with friends in an apartment close to Connaught Square. 

Following the incident, which occurred last September, he was initially charged with being drunk and disorderly and assaulting a police officer, but was eventually bound over to keep the peace for 12 months following an agreement between his legal team and the Crown Prosecution Service.
According to his lawyers, Mr Alrashidi, was deeply concerned at his treatment by the police and considered taking the matter further. 

However he eventually returned to Kuwait having decided not to pursue the matter.
His lawyer in London, Bassam Tablieh said the incident had escalated because of confusion and Mr Alrashidi’s lack of English. 

He said: “Mr Alrashidi is a Kuwaiti national, who lives abroad. He doesn’t speak very good English. He is a peaceful man and didn’t realise what was happening.” 

A spokesman for Scotland Yard confirmed that a taser had been deployed and a man was charged with being drunk and disorderly and assault. 

Mr Blair’s London home is protected by officers the Metropolitan Police’s CO6 Diplomatic Protection Unit. 

In 2009, the former Prime Minister was criticised after intervening in order to maintain a 24-hour security detail on the property when the force proposed cutting it in order to save money.
Critics claimed Mr Blair, who is estimated to have made as much as £20 million since leaving office, should help fund any security detail himself.

Now I could point out that if police are attempting to communicate with you, regardless of the language barrier, if you happen to be having a quick piss perhaps it might cross your you're (grammar police caught me again!) your (never mind!) mind that that particular act might be what has caused them to talk to you in the first place, but the particular line, "Mr Alrashidi, was deeply concerned at his treatment by the police and considered taking the matter further" (because he didnt get to finish emptying his bladder onto a public street) just made me smile.

Incredible that he got off with a slap on the wrist and ran off with his tail between his legs back to Kuwait. haha.

More tomorrow.

le fin.

Muscat Rugby club's Oval Ball tickets now on sale

Hope you all had a nice weekend :)

The MRFC are having their annual ball this year in the Afrah ballroom, Grand Hyatt. Tickets are RO 40 for members, and RO 45 for non-members - pretty much the cheapest ball ticket of the year. Standard ball fare applies - sit down dinner and open bar. It all starts at 7pm on Thursday 7th June

If you are interested in tickets, drop me an email and I'll put you in touch with the right people, or just call / email any of the people listed on the poster above.

As it happens, MRFC are playing HMS Westminster tomorrow evening at 7pm on the ABA rugby pitch, with after game celebrations held in the club's adoptive home, the Habana bar & the Hyatt.

More soon.

le fin.

Kristen Stewart Workouts and Diet Secrets

Kristen Stewart Workouts and Diet Secrets

What you need to know
Kristen Stewart workouts routines
Kristen Stewart fitness secrets
Kristen Stewart diet

Kristen Stewart workouts and diet tells that  she doesn’t exercise or watch her diet.With a naturally lean frame and youth working in her favor, Kristen doesn't strike me as the dieting type. She ate badly, smoked tons of cigarettes, stayed up late. She embraced the habitual nature of the character. Now that she's back to being Bella, the actress is trying to make things a little healthier, starting with a lighter diet: "Well, it’s kind of embarrassing but I’m playing a vampire soon. I eat disgustingly normally. And so, right now, I’m trying to not put so much butter in my food and stuff like that.

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le weekend

Well what a week it's been - Oman were seen off by Senegal and are now out of the Olympic football finals this summer, a shame really.

So what's up this weekend?

Tonight there is the usual Happy Hour drinks at the Safari Complex along with the the interesting looking Rainbow cuisine South African food spectacular at the Hyatt's Mokha Cafe. 

Also, the Irish pub, O'Malley's is proving very popular in some circles, and might be a nice spot to stop in for a tipple. I popped in there for lunch in the week and was quite amused to be listening to what appeared to be live-streamed Irish radio - a nice touch :)

Cricket fans, can watch the IPL action on Nuts & Bolt's big screen and offer a buy 2 get 1 free drink policy between 6 and 8 every day until the 27th of May - might be a nice spot to start after work?

Staying with cricket for a moment, there is the "Celebrity Cricket" thing sponsored by Omantel this weekend, Thursday and Friday evenings from 4:30pm at the Muscat Club in Wadi Kabir.

 
Tomorrow night, as blogged by Andy in Oman, there is  the "Beyond the Orphanage" fund raiser at the Costain Dolphin Clubfrom 7pm, entertainment provided by the cake whisperer, DJ Chris Fisher. Tickets cost RO 15 and are for sale today at Costa Coffee in Shatti between 4-6pm. For more information you can call Joh Weekley on 9578 0592.

Also tomorrow night at Zouk there is Ministry of Sound's DJ Skinz (incorrectly advertised by Zouk as DJ Skins I might add #fail). DJ Skinz uses Twitter, and is an R&B dj  - He was a radio presenter for Ministry of Sounds radio R&B show. No word on pricing so I imagine it's the usual: RO 20.

And finally, on Friday evening at the Muscat City Center from 7pm, there is the Red Bull BC One Cypher - Oman event. Essentially it's the Oman leg of a world wide tournament to find the best BBoy in the world, with the finals being held in Rio later this year. A Cypher is a local qualifier round, followed by a regional qualifier round with the winners from those going to the final to find out "The One". Essentially is a dance thing, and will probably be well attended by the shabab, well I guess they'll give the residents of The Wave a rest this Friday evening then! (The link to the wave goes to their forum, where some disgruntled residents are petitioning to make it a gated community - thousands of people live and work there - good luck making it a gated community!).

Enjoy the weekend!

le fin.

Radio wars: The Clone Wars

Well the results of my most recent radio poll are in, and we did something new this time around: we used Facebook Questions to conduct the poll. This meant that I could control the voting by ensuring people were not voting more than once, but it has the drawback that only Facebook users voted, and those that voted could be seen by everyone - a bit of a privacy issue that I'm not really very comfortable with. So the search continues for me on how best to collect your votes.

On with the results:

Radio Sultanate of Oman took 6.03% of the vote (12 votes)
Merge  took 39.20% of the vote (78 votes)
Hi FM took 47.74% of the vote (95 votes)
Arabic took 1.01% of the vote (2 votes)
CD/MP3 took 6.03% of the vote (12 votes)

A total of 199 votes - down from the last radio poll where we had 266 votes, but at least I know there were no double-votes this time :)

Being the third time we've voted on our preferred radio station, I thought it's enough data for me to plot a graph... and here it is:

Click to make this bigger!

Straight away you can see 2 things: Hi FM lost a lot of votes, and Merge gained more votes in the same period. Hi have suffered from the reduced number of votes more than Merge has. The overall number of people still listening to MP3's is less as well. The Ewoks over at Sultanate of Oman 90.4 have made a small increase in listeners - indicative of at least a steady audience. And that is really the crux of my choice of blog title: The Clone Wars.

I remember when Merge launched, there was a lot of talk about targeting a different audience than Hi FM, along with merging different cultures into the big Sabco melting pot that was Merge FM. And I guess to a point, they have done this: every hour or so there is the odd Arab-themed track and the way-back playback of the 80's (lately I've heard U2 with or without you a few times!). However, the over-whelming majority of the music is pretty much exactly the same as Hi Fm. Hence: The Clone Wars.

Darren & Chris found their outfits slimming

It certainly seems that by mixing in the odd Hindi or Arabic track, along with the odd 80's retro track, people seem to enjoy the blend, and more of you are switching on to Merge. I contacted some of you who voted on Facebook and asked you what it was you liked about Merge, and Hi FM for that matter. Interestingly, it seems the general reason for people liking Merge or Hi is the music - of course there are fans of the radio presenters, but the overwhelming majority of you don't really care about the radio presenters, unless they are annoying you.

Personally, I've found myself switching stations a lot more frequently recently - if Hi are playing a track I don't like, I'll switch to Merge or 90.4 Oman FM. I've noticed Hi FM have commercialized their output heavily. One might say too heavily, I don't know - but people seem to be switching over to Merge in greater numbers, and this could be a key driver for the switchover.

It's not all a one way street though, Hi have copied Merge in some things to, most notably the 10am-noon segment (Merge's At work network) is now the same as Merge - pre-recorded and not "live" (Darren seems to be providing the voice links between songs, which can be done easily). In a change to Merge though, Hi have now got live DJ coverage up to midnight, with Marcus Monopoli driving the show from 8pm to midnight - Merge just has pre-recorded shows in the same time slot, with the Muscat drive ending at 8pm.

Interestingly, on 90.4 there are also live shows up until midnight (or possibly after). I had a good giggle listening to the 90.4 presenter the other night with his American-British accent; he was trying to give away a prize and wanted someone to call in with the name of the CEO of the Oman Football Association - the first guy who called didn't know and just wouldn't hang up, then a girl rang in and announced that she didn't know the answer but she had just baked some cookies and would he like some? Classic, I can honestly say I was very entertained by it all. I've no idea if the presenter (their website - yes I finally found it - looks like it's not been updated since 2002 and so I've no idea of the guys name) ever did manage to give away his prize, but perhaps he got some tasty cookies!

Hi FM continue to dominate the market and still have the largest audience. Their branding is also more readily recognized and present in our lives around the Capital (sorry those of you from outside Muscat!). This last winter, Hi have been involved in a number of large concerts with world-class acts and have diversified their brand as a result. Hi FM are obviously a radio station, who also dabble in live concerts and comedy events. Merge on the other hand, have not really competed on this front, with a few exceptions: Hed Kandi & Yanni.

Hi FM are technologically more advanced than any of the competition: There's an iPhone and Android app for listening to their radio stream which have a handy track log of songs played. In addition to this, Hi FM employ true RDS (Radio Data System) which allows them to scroll small text messages on radio receivers capable showing the name of the track being played, or the Radio Presenter currently on air. Neat. The people at Merge tell me they have the same technology but have chosen not to use it at this time.

Hi FM also continue to have regular news broadcasts whereas Merge doesn't, however, it is apparent that the current news broadcasts provided by Hi (from Feature Story News) are "yesterdays" news in many cases. Quite frequently I hear the exact same news broadcast driving home at the end of the day as I do when I'm driving to work that morning, so the news, in my opinion could be improved upon. Some of the people I contacted after their votes in the poll also said the same thing: The news is nice, but out of date. The only other broadcaster in this race who give the news is of course the loveable Ewoks at 90.4 Radio Sultanate of Oman, except 90% of their news consists of who His Majesty sent cables of greetings to that particular day.

Faiq over on 90.4 has focused even more on playing music from the 60s/70s and 80s and is still steadfastly dishing out free dinners at the Radisson and other hotels on his breakfast show - and I have to admit I sometimes switch him on in the mornings on my way to work if I'm not in the mood for pop music.

So will Hi FM alter their music line up as a result, or will they stay on their current format? Personally I don't see anything wrong with slipping in an occasional retro track - it seems to work with the diverse audience here. Will Merge start broadcasting news (I asked this question at their launch and they confirmed they had planned to) and will 90.4 invest in a new website?

Hi FM has a website and a facebook group
Merge has a website and a facebook group
Sultanate of Oman Radio 90.4 has a website

More soon - and for those interested, Oman lost to Senegal last night, 2-0. Shame.

le fin.

Bank Nizwa announces IPO

Well they have finally announced their initial public offering today with a rather low RO 60 million slice of their company up for grabs. There are 600 million 100 baiza shares on offer on the Muscat Securities Market for 102 baizas each. This apparently represents 40% of their paid capital (source).The 2 baiza's are for "Issue expenses". RO 1,200,000 / US$ 3,096,000 to issue an IPO - I'm in the wrong business!

Now, most people don't really care about this but I thought it was interesting as this is the first Islamic Bank to start here in Oman. Ok so Bank Muscat have some Islamic banking services on offer, and Bank Dhofar are looking to get in on the act too, but the boys from Bank Nizwa are the first dedicated Islamic banking crowd to setup up shop here.

The thing that keeps getting me scratching my head is: Islamic banking does not allow for the charging of interest. They make their money by purchasing assets, and then re-selling them to their customer at a higher price. Whether that's a car or a house - the bank buys it, and then allows it's customer to make installments over a period of time for the item. But, here's the rub - the bank can not levy penalties against their borrower for late payment. I'm sure there's more to it but I don't get it - but many people do.

Anyway, I'm digressing. I'd expect there to be a fairly hefty demand for these shares, so if you've got some cash and fancy a punt, RO 102 will buy you 1000 shares in Bank Nizwa. The offering closes on the 22nd May.

More tomorrow.

le fin.

Oman V Senegal tonight

As we approach the 2012 Olympic games in the UK, Oman has one final hurdle too pass to make it to the Olympic finals for soccer football. The Oman national football U23 team are currently in the UK getting ready to face Senegal U23 team tonight.

At 10:45pm tonight, Oman time, in the City of Coventry stadium the game starts, and it's being shown on Oman TV2.

More tomorrow, a new Radio Wars post :)

le fin.

Omani products spotlight: Sohar Milk

In an effort to come up with some more useful information for people living, or researching about living, in the Sultanate, I thought I'd start a semi-regular feature: Omani products spotlight

Basically I thought it'd be good to share the various locally produced products that I use here in Oman. Perhaps you can suggest better alternatives, or perhaps you'll try one of the products I like and mention here, I don't know - but none of these will be paid advertisements.

So here's my first product: Sohar Milk.

I have it on my Weetabix!

I honestly only very recently discovered this milk, after years of using Al Marai milk products I finally took the time to read the label and discovered that Al Marai products are made in the KSA! Not that I have anything against the Kingdom, I just don't think that milk produced there can be particularly fresh if I buy it here in Oman. Which is when a few months ago I started looking for a local Omani alternative and discovered Sohar Milk.

A google search tells me that Sohar milk is a product from the typically named Oman Agriculture Development Company SAOC - an Omzest company. Now, the dairy scene here in Muscat is very much dominated by the KSA imported Al Marai, but I honestly prefer the Sohar milk and am glad I tried it out - to me it tastes fresher. The price is the same as Al Marai and it's available in all the major supermarkets, and even some Oman Oil shops.

More soon!

le fin.

How To Get A Bikini Body Quickly For Summer Or An Upcoming Vacation

Vacations are much more fun when you are in great shape for wearing a bikini.

Do you have a vacation coming up and want to look your best? When you land on the beach, you want to ensure you have a hot bikini body that'll turn heads. You will enjoy your vacation much more if you feel sexy. Most likely You will want to take lots of pictures as well, therefore you will want to make sure that your body is in great shape and bikini ready. When you reach 80 years of age, you can look at those terrific pics and boast to your kids and grand kids about how attractive you were in your younger days.

It Is Easier To Achieve A Great "Bikini Body", When You Have An Up Coming Event Or Want To Look Great For Summer

Not only will your vacations be more filled with fun when you look great, it is much more motivating to do what needs to be done when you know that you will look attractive in a bikini soon. Most women are aware of what is required to get a bikini body shape, it is just so easy to get off course from their diets or workout routines. I recommend you grab pics of your vacation destination and place them somewhere for you to see every day. Also, it's also a great idea to find pictures of fit women who possess a bikini body that you would like to endeavour towards gaining.

Preparing For An Upcoming Vacation Is half The Fun Of Going On A Vacation

Most vacations run up to only 7-10 days. A good way to make that vacation longer is by spending weeks working hard towards getting in top bikini body shape. Of course, shopping for a vacation trip is great fun, but reaching a high fitness level can also be enjoyable. Doing what is necessary to get in top bikini body shape on a consistent basis is actually a very rewarding experience. Honestly, if you look your best, everything will be more enjoyable.

The are 5 basic and proven steps to gaining a stunning "bikini body":

1) Consume less calories than you normally do each day. This sounds basic, but if you burn more calories than what you consume you will lose weight. For best bikini body results, do this at least two months before your vacation.

2) Do all your cardio workout when your stomach is empty. Make sure you do not have any carbs in your system before doing cardio. Doing this will ensure that you burn fat and not carb calories stored in your muscles. Taking in a calorie-free caffeine drink will provide you with energy to hit the cardio hard. You will get rid of excess fat from your improving bikini body on a regular basis, if you stick to this rule. Try to not eat any calories of any kind about 3-4 hours before working out.

3) Do your cardio for at least 1 hour per day 3 weeks before your vacation date. Hitting the cardio for 1 hour per day, twenty one days in a row, will burn that last bit of stubborn body fat off that bikini body of yours. Very few people will ever workout 21 days in a row in their lifetime. Very few people will ever get in their best bikini body shape. If you have the willpower to workout 21 days in a row without fail, you will reach a level that few people ever reach.

4) Workout in the gym 3-4 days per week. Lifting weights will contribute to a sleek bikini body, it just won't be as dramatic as with cardio and diet. Stick with a basic weight lifting routine and you will be o.k. You could probably get a good resistance workout in 15-20 minutes. Getting a bikini body is more about burning off stubborn body fat and less about building muscle.

5) Tan that bikini body of yours. You don't want to overdue it, but 10 sessions of 10-15 minutes at a tanning salon will give you a bit of color and make your body look more attractive. Also, make sure and apply lotion daily to make your skin glow.

Summary:

Hopefully this gives you a great mind set into what it takes to get that bikini body ready for summer. You can't go wrong with sticking with the basics which is low calories and lots of cardio. There are a few select sources of more advanced information on the Internet, but most is geared towards bulking up, this isn't the type of advice you will want to follow. A great bikini body is about lower body fat, not bigger muscles.

About The Author:

Rusty Moore is an avid trainer who gives training advice geared specifically at people who want a body that attracts the opposite sex. While other trainers focus on building muscle mass, Rusty focuses on what members of the opposite sex find irresistible. Want a body like Brad Pitt -or- Matthew Mcconaughey? How about Jessica Alba -or- Jessica Biel? Check out his fitness course for women here >Visual Impact For Women<

Lose Body Fat Fast - How To Lose Fat Quickly For An Upcoming Event

There are certain times in life when you don't just want to lose fat quickly, but you need to. For instance, if you are planning to go on a vacation to a tropical location like Hawaii, you are going to enjoy your trip much more if you're confident that you look great. You will surely look your best if you are able to lose fat and look great in a swimsuit.

Your Face Will Look Better at a Lower Body Fat Percentage

This is something that people don't talk about very much, but when you are leaner your face will look better. For men you will be able to gain that square jaw and women will be able to see high cheekbones and have less fat around the neck. Obviously this will help you look your best for photos when you are on vacation or attending a wedding, etc.

You Can Actually Lose a Significant Amount of Body Fat in 3 Weeks

Hopefully, you have more than 3 weeks to get in shape, but if you don't you will still be able to lose body fat quickly enough to make a big difference. Here is a 21 day plan I use before every vacation that has worked wonders for me as well as those I give advice to.

1) Hit the Cardio hard at Least One Hour Per Day

2) Don't Eat or Drink Any Carbs at All 4-6 Hours Before Your Cardio

3) Drink Green Tea or Black Coffee 30 Minutes Before Your Cardio

4) Eat "Low Calorie" and "Low Carb" Throughout the Day

5) If You Are Dying For Carbs, Only Eat Them Following a Hard Workout

6) Total Daily Calories Equals "Body Weight" x 8

7) Lift Weights 4-5 Times Per Week

Note: This is just a short term 21 day plan...you will lose muscle if you go longer than 21 days on this plan.

The most crucial part is that you are performing at least one hour of cardio in a fasted state for 21 days in a row. Very few people have ever done cardio for 21 days in a row. You will be amazed at how well this works. I have been able to lose body fat quickly by following this plan in the past and you will too. Give this a shot, you will see great results.

About the Author:

Rusty Moore is a trainer who gives advice to men and women who want a body that has "The Hollywood Look". Get the slim & toned physique like Cam Gigandet, Brad Pitt, Jessica Biel, or Penelope Cruz. Click here to check out his fitness programs Visual Impact Muscle Building and Visual Impact For Women and Visual Impact Cardio

How To Lose Fat To The Maximum By Maintaining The Right Intensity Of Your Workout

If you are trying to maximize fat loss or increase the definition of your muscle I suggest you use the methods below.

I usually favour keeping strength training apart from the fat loss part of the workout. It's best to achieve muscle definition using heavy weights and brief strength training at a low volume. Your muscles will firm up and you will begin to see an improvement in muscle definition this way. Usually, the easiest part of any workout is training for strength. With any workout program, the calorie burning (fat loss) part is the most intense and difficult. It's best to include an intense fat burning routine into your workout at least 3 times weekly. You can use whatever method of circuit workout or strategic interval that you want, including HIIT and body weight circuits.

You Won't Gain An "After Effect" Utilizing Low Intensity During A Workout.

Often times, when I'm in the gym, I see persons carrying out a fat loss workout lacking intensity in it. If you are not resting or cooling down for the next part of your workout, walking on a treadmill is useless. When you do a cardio workout that is low intensity, you are not maximizing the amount of calories you could be burning.

Also Pay Careful Attention To Avoid A Workout That Is Too High In Intensity As Well

You will very likely get caught up resting for longer periods of time when you are finished with your routine, if it is too intense or difficult. For the most effective fat loss workout, you should be able to go on without extra breaks as if you never worked out at all. If you become overly tired and spend hours sitting down or resting after a workout, your fat loss workout is ineffective.

How Would You Find Out If You Are Working Out With The Right Intensity For Your Fat Loss Routine?

Pay attention to something called the "HGH Flush" I am not sure where this term originated from, but it does serve as a wonderful tool for rating your fat loss workout. You will know when you reached the HGH flush when you run out of breath, with hot slightly red skin after each workout. Try to remember how hot and out of breath you felt, after the gym teacher had you run lines in junior high. HGH is a hormone released by your body to burn fat when your metabolism is suddenly increased by heavy activity, like a high energy workout.

Your Comfort Zone Can Also Guide You If You Keep Your Workouts Just Inside It's Limit.

I saw personal trainers push their clients too hard early in a routine, which is a major mistake. I once hired a personal trainer who wanted to "destroy me" with each workout. That wasn't for me. The ideal workout intensity will help you reach a HGH flush, without leaving you so exhausted that you want a nap. In regards to workout intensity, I refer to this as the "sweet spot". You can start increasing your intensity as your body adjusts. However, pay close attention and back off a bit if you find yourself overly tired after a workout.

About the Author:

Rusty Moore is a trainer who gives advice to men and women who want a body that attracts the opposite sex. Don't train to be bulky! Learn the Fitness Tips and techniques of Hollywood's finest and get lean and sexy instead. Click to check out his fitness programs Visual Impact Muscle Building, Visual Impact For Women And  Visual Impact Cardio

Britney Spears Workouts and Dieting secrets

 Britney Spears Workouts and Dieting secrets

What you need to know:-

Britney Spears workouts routines

Britney Spears fitness secrets

Britney Spears exercises and tips

Britney Spears turned to burgers, chips, candy, and other sweets and reportedly got up to 160 lbs after losing custody of her children. To put this in perspective, she is 5-4, so this definitely put her in the overweight BMI category. She tried taking diet pills and diuretics, but as we all know, this is not a healthy approach to dieting. Of course it didn’t help that she wasn’t a fan of fruits and vegetables. This is also understandable. There was a point when I didn’t like fruits and veggies either, but since I started eating them regularly, they’ve grown on me. She also drank a lot which wasn’t helping her case.Britney has been working her butt off (literally) in preparation for her much-anticipated comeback. She’s the first to admit that getting her pre-baby body back hasn’t been easy. Although she says she used to be obsessed with

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Some numbers!

Today my Facebook group for this blog hit a new milestone - 1500 "likes". Ok so I like my own group so I guess it's technically 1499 of you have "liked" the group, perhaps that will be at 1500 by the end of the day :)

Honestly I didn't think the group would even get to 250 likes, let alone 1500 - so thats awesome that so many of you have taken the time to "like" my mutterings. I started this blog on the 26th July 2009 and here we are, nearly 3 years later and at the time of writing, there have been 561,799 hits on the blog, with monthly traffic currently around the 40,000 hits mark.

I've been pretty lazy with my writing lately, so I'll have to get back on the blogging wagon again!

More soon!

le fin.

Rainy weather ahead?

Well it rained a little last week, and a quick look over at AccuWeather shows thunderstorms in store for the rest of the week with a return to sunny weather by Friday. No need to run off like headless chickens and buy all the water from Al Fair again though, it seems mostly electrical storms with a side order of drizzle, the worst day currently predicated to be tomorrow, Tuesday.

So I guess the order of the week should be... don't bother to wash your car. I should have known, seeing as I just washed my car today. Typical.

In other news, local blog How to live like an Omani Princess has blogged today about some cheap hotels in town you may want to consider if you are visiting Oman on a budget, or for some reason need a cheap room in the city. I thought it was some pretty good information that's otherwise hard to find on t'internet.

More soon!

le fin.

British week at the Sultan Center

Well it only runs for another couple of days but I only just came aware of it... perhaps this may be of some interest to some of you.


More soon!

le fin.

A Muscle Building Guide For Gaining The Muscular Body That You Want

Many guys ,and lots of women as well, top fitness goal is to put on some muscle on their frame. Though muscle building deliver numerous health benefits, one of the greatest focus that people have when building muscle is that it can tremendously improve their physical appearance. As a result of that , attaining a ripped body will not only benefit people by improving their health but also by increasing their self-esteem. However, regardless of the level of fitness you fall under using the right muscle building guide will help you successfully gain favourable results and the body that you really want from your muscle building efforts.

Muscle Building Requires Discipline and Hard Work 

While muscle building is a great way to sculpt your body into amazing shape and build lean muscle mass, which can also deliver a ton of health benefits, successfully attaining a stunning muscular body is not a walk in the park. Muscle building can produce great benefits but you need to use the right muscle building guide, stick to your regime, stay disciplined and work really hard.

Make sure you use the right strategy that'll give you
an attractive body 

Lots of people have the belief that success in muscle building depends on simply eating a lot and lifting heavy weights. While it's true eating and weight lifting are the major aspects of muscle building there are other crucial elements that falls in between that needs to be done right for getting the best of results you're after. I guess there are guys you saw that looked muscular, and judging from their appearance you can tell they spent a lot of time working out hard in the gym, but for one reason or another you were not impressed by the look of their physique. This is an important factor you need to take the right approach to avoid when following a regime to gain a muscular physique. And that goes beyond merely eating and lifting heavy weights. If you want to control what your body looks like when putting on muscle and ensure you gain the physique you'll be confident to show-off because it looks good, then you must follow strategic muscle building to sculpt your desired body properly.

Bigger Is Not Always More Attractive 

It's clear that simply growing bigger muscles does not guarantee attaining an attractive body for everyone, and if you fall victim to gaining a good amount of muscle and end up with a physique that doesn't look impressive this can be very frustrating and a major blow to your ego. For that reason, it's highly recommended to use a muscle building guide such as Visual Impact Muscle Building that consist of all the important information and correct strategy you need to follow to sculpt an attractive physique, and not just build muscle without caring what your body looks like in the end. How nice would it be if you worked hard in the gym to gain a decent amount of muscle and wind up looking puffy and bloated instead of angular and lean?

Get Visual Impact Muscle Building For Proper Guidance To Sculpt A Well Defined Body When You Hit The Gym. Don't Wait Until It's Too Late. Click Here To Get It Now 

Gaining muscle and ending up with a body that doesn't look very attractive is not the only problem that can be experienced by persons in their muscle building endeavour. Another major obstacle experienced by many people aiming to get ripped is they have a problem gaining muscle. No matter how much these persons eat or how hard they workout they just can't put on mass. This can be very discouraging and frustrating.  It’s not easy to keep working hard without seeing any effect of all your hard work on your body. The muscle building guide that address this problem is The Muscle Maximizer. This program includes a software that generates a customized nutritional plan for each user according to their specific data such as weight, hight and body type. This is a muscle building program that is a great solution for hardgainers. It helped tons of guys who couldn't gain weight pack muscle on their body when it seemed like they were hopeless.

The Muscle Maximizer Is The Hardgainers Solution To Putting On Weight When It Seems Like There Is No Hope. Get It From This Link Now.

If you seriously want to get ripped and ensure your time spent in the gym deliver results as you want, then make use of the above mentioned muscle building guides and get one or both of them now according to your specific condition and goals.

Taylor Lautner Workout Routine For Acting As Jacob Black And The Principles Taylor Lautner Used To Get Ripped

Taylor Lautner was a skinny 17 year old when he was required to build muscle to play the character Jacob Black in Twilight: New Moon. Lautner's goal was to gain 30 pounds of muscle which he successfully achieved in about 9 months.

Taylor Lautner's personal trainer Jordan Yuam revealed some principles and practices which helped The Jacob Black Actor successfully achieve his stunning body with the Taylor Lautner workout. Here is how it goes.

Taylor Lautner Workout: Keep The Workout Short

According to Yuam Taylor Lautner workout plan does not mean spending hours in the gym. The resistance program in Taylor Lautner workout is no longer than 50 minutes with an additional 15 minutes of abdominal exercises and 10 minutes of stretching. For extremely overweight and obese people, Yuam recommends 20 minutes of cardio. 10 on the treadmill, 10 on the elliptical, but no more. According to Yuam, there are no shortcuts, and eating a healthy diet is extremely important. Also Yuam states, never use anabolic steroids for bulking up.

Taylor Lautner Workout: Allow Time for Recovery

Forget about lifting every day. That's definitely not part of Taylor Lautner workout plan and it's not what your body needs. Yuam recommends resistance training three days per week. Example on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. "Overworking the body sabotages a person's goals while burning them out mentally and physically," Yuam says. "It is during the recovery that muscle growth occurs"

Taylor Lautner Workout: Push Your Limits

Getting bigger muscles is about lifting heavy weights. Yuam pushed Taylor to lift heavier than he normally could in 10 reps by stacking about 40% more weights with a bar or dumbbells. So if you can lift, say, 120 pounds 10 times, go with 170 pounds. Then, using a spotter, perform only the lowering half of lifts. ("It's critical that your spotter be strong enough to lift the weight back up by himself," Yuam says.) For a bench press, that means slowly lowering the weight to your chest. This lets your body adjust to the new weight even before you're ready to raise it. The move is taxing on your muscles, though, so limit your "tasting" to 2 or 3 sets of 5 reps every other week.

Taylor Lautner Workout: Vary Your Volume

Don't stick to just lifting heavy. To maximize muscle growth, Taylor would often use a variety of reps and the pounds of weight he lifts. "If you're aiming for a great body, you have to follow this principle," says Yuam. Consistently change your workout routine because the more your muscles are forced to adapt to a new routine, the more they grow bigger. For instance, instead of consistently doing three sets of eight to ten reps, occasionally decrease the weight and shoot for four sets of fifteen reps. A recent study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that men who regularly varied their rep counts and trained different muscle groups increased their bench strength by twenty percent and their leg-press strength by forty three percent.

Taylor Lautner Workout: Create Tension

Free weights are the best, but they have a drawback: Some areas of a lift are easier than others, so your muscles aren't being worked consistently. That's why Lautner often attaches giant rubber bands to a bar or dumbbell he's going to lift, and then anchors the bands to the base of a power rack or a pair of heavy dumbbells. "The bands create more tension, making the lift harder and forcing your muscles to peak out at the top of the movement," Yuam says. As a result, your body recruits more muscle fibers and works them harder, accelerating growth. Bands are available in most gyms.

Taylor Lautner Workout: Cut Down on Cardio

"I was exercising so hard that I began to lose weight," says Lautner. Sound great? Not if you normally have trouble building muscle mass. When it's combined with weight training, cardio saps strength and limits muscle growth, especially if you spin your wheels for longer than 20 minutes before or after lifting, according to researchers at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas. So be careful not to overdo it. "If you're trying to gain lean mass, focus on weight-lifting with the proper technique and the right plan," Yuam says.

Taylor Lautner Workout: Don't Overwork Your Abs

"Many dudes work their abs any time they hit the gym," says Yuam. "That's the reason not a lot of them have a six-pack." Your abs are fust like any other muscle group, and the same rule of muscle building applies: Don't overwork them. Lautner targets his abs only 3 days a week and does a combination of exercises to work his entire core. "The result is a balanced, more detailed musculature," Yuam says. One of his favorite combinations is the hanging leg raise to reverse crunch, holding for 7 to 10 seconds. That works your whole core, preventing a muffin top.

Taylor Lautner Workout: Step to the Side

Most weightlifting exercises involve moving forward or backward; they don't train your body to explode in other directions. Lautner needs a versatile body because he does his own stunts on the screen. (And you need one for everyday life. Your basketball crossover will be lousy without it.) The solution, Yuam says, is to perform side-to-side exercises in addition to traditional lifts. These boost your ability to move in any path. For example, work a few sets of lateral hops and lunges into every leg workout.

Taylor Lautner Workout: Have a Recovery Plan

Training and eating are only two-thirds of the muscle-building equation. "The other third is recovery," says Lautner. He takes every third day off and never works out more than 5 days a week. "If you constantly pound your muscles, they'll never have time to repair."

Let Visual Impact Muscle Building guide you to get a body you can be proud of like Taylor Lautner. Click Here To Learn More