Written by Anita Palada
Photos: Maher Elusini, Pixabay
During the trip to Dubai, you can’t miss visiting the ultra-modern city center, as well as the old part of the town. The sandy desert can be exciting, and also tasting local cuisine. From where to start? To experience the beauty of the desert by riding camels? Snowboarding or driving by car over sandy hills? Watching the sunset, and belly dancers in a Bedouin camp at night? Dubai is a town that never sleeps and is so full of life!
Maybe the first visit is to the urban side of Dubai? That modern side is built with illuminating buildings, water fountains, and “flying” museums. Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world. It possesses an unimaginable presence and view. La Mer and Jumeriah beaches provide a ton of activities for the whole family.
Among those luxury buildings and streets, the restaurants call people in to taste delicious dishes.
Finding a good restaurant that serves Arabian cuisine is great for starting your trip to Dubai. The meaty stew margoogat is made of lamb or chicken based on tomatoes. Or, maybe is best to taste makhboss. The dish is cooked from locally caught shrimp, lamb, or chicken. It’s usually spiced with cardamom, cinnamon, and dried lemon. Makhbossgoes well with khubz. That is classic Arabic bread, freshly made in most bakeries and restaurants. Samosas are pastries filled with potatoes, vegetables, and spices but the most popular version is made with three types of cheese.
Emiraty locals enjoy eating traditional food that they gladly share with travelers.
“Yes, that is true. If you are in Dubai seize the opportunity to dine or have lunch with them. This custom is set up by Sheikh Mohammed, governor of Dubai. He intended to enable visitors to experience Dubai’s rich culture, customs, and food.”
It’s a very interesting initiative and worth hearing more about that.
“Yes, that is a custom based on Sheikh Mohammed. People host travelers in their homes. They serve traditional dishes, talk, and introduce their guests to the Dubai culture. People come from all over the world to eat with Arabian families. That is the best way to introduce strangers to the culture, habits, and gastronomy of one country – tells Maher Elusini.
Maher Elusini is a private nutrition coach. He advises people on how to eat well in Dubai, but also how to lose weight from overeating. Very interesting! He is also an international award-winning speaker from Dubai.
I’m delighted to meet an excellent interviewee who can shed some light on the lifestyles and eating habits in Dubai.
Dubai is a city that never sleeps. People spend their entire week working. Most people go back home on the weekend. In their free time, they usually go to malls like The Dubai Mall and Emirates Mall. Spending time at the beaches with family and friends, drinking coffee, and eating in restaurants. “My mission is to support them, to plan their daily menu, to eat healthily. I also make special menus for those who want to lose weight” – says Elusini.
I find this very interesting! It appears we won’t talk strictly about a trip to Dubai and travel topics as I had hoped at first. Seems the powerful buildings, restaurants, businesses, sheiks, and their rich palaces will go to the second plan. Our conversation has begun on a very ground-floor topic. We talk about fat, dieting, and how to lose weight.
Spring is fast approaching, so this topic appeals to me. After a long period spent in closed spaces, eating, we all want magic pills to look better. Maybe Elusini can offer it to us? Let’s see!
According to Elusini, obesity in Dubai and other places is heartbreaking. Khaleej Times reports that one in two people are overweight and lack the discipline to control their eating habits.
“Despite this, if nutritionists such as myself do not intervene with top-notch coaching to help them, the situation will worsen in the next five to ten years. Especially with the vast array of food choices available to them today.”
Elusini recommends removing breakfast to lose weight.
“Wow, Mr. Elusini, how to skip breakfast? I couldn’t do that!” –I hear very often this cry from clients who come to me for the first time.
“That is possible in a very elegant way. Replace breakfast with something energizing, such as a fat-rich coffee. Drink plenty of water during the morning hours. You will be full and not won’t starve. Additionally, a time-restricted eating regimen is recommended. This will help the body lose weight, detoxify, and boost energy.”
For all those who want to lose weight and stay fit and healthy, Elusini advises to intake moderate protein and limiting carbohydrates for a long time. In this way, the body begins to use fat as energy. As well as helping to lose weight and increase energy, it may help to prevent diseases like pre-diabetes, diabetes, and heart disease.
Elusini is an advocate of the Keto diet and the creator of the Million Dollar Body Weight Loss Program. In the first book in his series, Million Dollar Body – How to Use Keto and Lose Weight in Your Sleep, he introduced ways of eating and consuming energy. Generally, the ketogenic diet encourages a person to consume healthily. Fats from coconuts, olive, avocados, nuts, and eggs. Also fatty fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel, sardines, trout, and herring. To all, especially those who want to lose weight and be healthy I suggest not buying commercially made products. Like pastries, cakes, cookies, and pizza. Fried food like chicken, breaded fish, and anything that contains hydrogenated vegetable oil are forbidden, too.
Maher Elusini coached Giancarlo Lucchetta, too. He is an entrepreneur who had only the best words to describe his diet plan.
“I met Maher on holiday, not during a trip to Dubai than visiting the Bahamas. After some time talking to him, I hired him as my private coach. I was 226 lbs, but after four months I weigh only 183 lbs now. He motivated me to get going and not to ever look back. I read his book and it was like having my motivational speaker with me everywhere I went. He gave me the confidence to know that my Million Dollar Body is possible. His recipes are wonderful and the program was very easy to follow.”
There is no one-size-fits-all program. Once the initial complimentary consultation is over, Elusini can assess and prescribe a specific eating plan. “I do it based on the client’s body to ensure the greatest health benefits. The Million Dollar Body Diet can include food rich in healthy fats. Grass-fed meats, delicious salads, seafood, and even a fasting program.”
“Also, a person must mentally accept and acknowledge a change is needed or will be going around in circles. It’s roughly 20% diet and 80% mental when it comes to weight loss and diet. For any client, it’s very important to be ready for a change. Even more to be ready for guidance to better health” – says Elusini.
Once the client reaches this stage of acceptance shouldn’t rely on diet alone. “Many people fall victim known as “the snapback effect” – Elusini warns. “That implies that after a short period of weeks, they will revert to their old ways and add more weight than they were originally carrying. Because of this, it is extremely important to have the right system and the right people around you. The most important is to have the right mindset to achieve long-lasting and permanent health improvements.”
Results will, of course, vary from client to client. Work ethic and readiness are also important factors. All private clients with whom Elusini worked virtually saw results within five days. His program has helped people lose up to ten pounds within the first seven to ten days of using it. “Nevertheless, I am proud to report that we have served hundreds of clients over the years and not one has failed.”
A workout is unnecessary during the diet program. “However, if clients feel that is useful to include in their daily lives, it is encouraged and applauded.” Elusini may also draw up a workout for them to improve the results, but it’s at their discretion. His clients are corporate executives and high-performance individuals, and their time is limited. They want to follow the easiest way to reach the goal.
If you also want to have a Million Dollar Body, Elusini gifts you a few tips&trics for losing weight as soon as possible.
ELUSINI’S DIET SUGGESTIONS
Our next trip to Dubai will start soon. Who knows what comes next?