We came across the lovely Keepeatreal girls, Nadine Tayara and Maria Abi Hanna, on Instagram a few months ago.
Nadine and Maria are two best friends that share a passion for health and fitness and wanted to share their excitement with the rest of the IG community. That sounds very much like Tracy and I hehe. But to top that off, both are dietitians by profession and will be contributing their knowledge to the Fitnut Community once a month on the below topics:
- Their Top 5 Eats in Dubai
- Eating Disorders
- Sports Nutrition with practical pre- & post-exercise snack options
We don’t know about you but we sure are excited to get our hands on those asap!
What we loved about their page is their realistic approach to health and fitness, their quick and easy recipes, and delicious restaurant recommendations. Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t have to be complicated, actually it shouldn’t. If it’s a lifestyle you want to sustain, it should be as easy as 1,2,3!
But we’ll stop blabbing now and let them speak for themselves ☺
Tell us more about yourselves. How did you get into health and fitness and what made you start your Instagram account?
We both grew up in a culture where food is the center of all occasions, outings and conversations. Being big foodies ourselves, a career in nutrition and health was just a natural choice for the both of us.
We always hear about people wanting to be on diets and they’re always concerned with how it will affect their social life especially since all our outings in Dubai revolve around food and drinks! We started our Instagram account to offer people practical tips on healthy eating whether at home or out and wanted to create a community of healthy eaters in and around Dubai as we take them on a journey beyond nuts and berries.
How would you describe your health and fitness philosophy? Any favourite motto/quote?
Our philosophy about health and fitness is quite simple, we try to practice what we preach and make sure it’s always part of our lifestyle. We don’t believe in extremes and always encourage moderation, balance and variety when it comes to food and exercise which allows us to nourish our mind, body and soul.
Our favourite quote is
“Don’t eat anything your great grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food”
by Michael Pollan
What/who are you favorite sources of inspiration and motivation?
Our best sources of inspiration are the people around us, our friends, family and each other. It’s always a positive thing to be surrounded by like minded people who get you going
In your line of business, what are the major health concerns you come across in the UAE?
All non-communicable diseases such as overweight and obesity, diabetes cholesterol, hypertension, metabolic syndrome and eating disorders
Are you proponents of three big meals or several small meals a day? Why?
We always encourage small frequent meals as it helps boost metabolism and control the appetite.
What is your stance on low-fat, low-carb, and low-sugar diets for weight loss?
We don’t advocate fad diets and really believe in moderation and eating from all five food groups (grains, proteins, dairy, fruits & vegetables). When wanting to lose weight, it’s not just about what you eat and each person is unique but eating nutritious, wholesome and well-balanced meals as well as being physically active is always the most sustainable way to lead a healthier lifestyle and reach one’s weight loss goals.
What food(s) do you recommend including daily in our diets?
In our kitchen, you will always find: whole-grain rice cakes, organic peanut butter, Greek yogurt, raw nuts, dark chocolate, avocado, berries and green veggies. We definitely recommend eating from all five food groups daily.
What food(s) would you recommend your clients to avoid?
Foods high in fat, sugar and salt like junk food, candies, white refined products, sodas and energy drinks and processed and ready-made microwavable meals.
Where do you both see yourselves in the next few years?
Fingers crossed, somewhere in the world, managing our own little KeepEatReal cafe ☺
Finally, where can everyone keep up with both of you to learn more?
Follow us on our Instagram account: @keepeatreal
For collaborations: contact@keepeatreal.com
Stay tuned for our website, launching soon.
Any additional questions for the ladies? Don’t hesitate to comment below!
