Body & Mind health during Covid19 with Maya Nassar

People from around the world are going through some kind of battle with life. Not only things are bad due to Covid-19, but some countries have political & economical issues that increase the burden on the population. 

During our private talk with the international fitness model champion, Maya Nassar, we tackled on several health & fitness tips that concern everyone in quarantine.

 At an earlier stage in her life, the Lebanese fitness entrepreneur & business owner Maya Nassar used to live an unhealthy lifestyle. Years of being fed up with overweight where her clothes don’t fit anymore, Maya definitely lost her self-confidence and decided to change her life. Determination and sacrifice pushed her to start hitting the gym, changing her diet and losing weight. 

“Once my weight was normal and healthy, I set a new challenge to become the best version of myself and compete internationally” says Maya who lost 20 kilograms and 5 sizes of fat through diet and exercise. 

Specialized in personal training and sports nutrition, Maya praises about how to preserve and take care of your mental & physical health during confinement. “People have to remind themselves about the health benefits that come with living a healthy lifestyle. A good diet and exercise can help them feel better mentally and also cope with the stress of being confined”. In fact, Maya believes that it’s so important to be active during the day in quarantine. People can work-out at home or at the outdoors if they have access to a garden. In addition to that, it’s primordial to pay attention to the diet, the quality of food alongside with the sizes of portions consumed. “The combination of staying active for at least 30 minutes per day and following a diet will help people cope with stress and stay healthy during quarantine” says Maya. 

Being a mother for 2 kids and pregnant with her 3rd baby, Maya has a lot to tell for every quarantined pregnant lady. Besides paying attention to the portion sizes and sticking to light snacks, Maya advices pregnant women to eat every 2 to 3 hours since it helps preventing cravings and feeling fuller for a longer period of time. “In case they are hungry, they should make smart food choices and avoid junk food, sweets or anything that is high in calories. Exercising is also really important during pregnancy.”

 Moreover, since all gyms are closed, people tend to exercise while at home. But what are the types of workout that can be done with few to zero equipment available? 

Maya emphasizes on the ability to workout with few equipment such as dumbbells, resistance bands and a mat. And if you have nothing of those that are mentioned, you can use water bottles as dumbbells! She also believes that anyone can invest in cardio machines such as treadmills, bicycles or elliptical. And if you don’t know from where to start, you can check her home exercise guide on the website https://startlivingright.net/ that can be downloaded for free and has programs that people can follow on a daily basis. 

As a gym owner, Maya introduced us to a new gym model that can be taken into consideration after Covid-19. At her gym, Start Living Right, “the motto is that the greatest wealth is health. I hope after this pandemic people will strive to make healthier lifestyle choices and make exercise a part of their daily routine. However, our approach of diet, exercise and consistency will never change as these are the fundamentals of any successful fitness journey.” 

Maya Nassar never ceases to raise awareness regarding fitness and health. Her inspiring story made her create her own website, blog and mobile application called Start Living Right to spread positivity vibes about the benefits of maintaining a balanced life. For her, the future holds a lot of plans! She is currently working on opening a 3rd branch for her gym and expand her brand. Also, pregnancy e-books will be available online to help pregnant women learn how to stay fit and healthy during their pregnancies. Through her platform, Maya aims to support people to reach their fitness goals and have a happy healthy life!