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Our Top Tips To Freshen Up Your UAE Fitness Routine

1st July 2025

1st July 2025

By Zak Hillard

Even in a city as energetic and inspiring as Dubai, falling into a workout rut is something everyone experiences at least once. No matter how much we want to continue working on our health and fitness, doing the same exercises time after time can make it very difficult to don your kit and stick to your routine. 

With the 54th UAE National Day on the horizon, there’s no time like the present to get your workout mojo back and celebrate in style. 

If you’re looking for some inspiration to work out, whether it be specific cardio workout ideas or more general tips and tricks to keep things fresh, we’ve put together some pointers to help you keep plugging away at your goals. 

Without further ado… 

Why refreshing your workout routine matters

There are a bunch of reasons why refreshing your workout routine is important. Let’s cover some of them. 

Challenge different muscle groups

One of the biggest benefits of changing up your routine with a variety of workouts is that you can effectively target different muscle groups. This is particularly true if your exercise regimen consists of a lot of gym work, as isolating muscles and exercising them individually could mean you are unintentionally missing out certain areas of your body. 

Preventing injury

Another benefit of switching it up is allowing other muscles to rest and recover effectively. If you run a full body routine several days a week, chances are you’re not giving adequate recovery time to your muscles. 

Overworked muscles = strains, sprains and tears. Give your body some grace and work out a different muscle group to come back even stronger next time. 

Reducing mental fatigue

Fatigue isn’t just reserved for your body – your mind can just as easily get tired of a groundhog day workout. 

Unless you’re David Goggins, discipline alone isn’t enough to carry you through a lifetime of exercise and active living – we need to enjoy our workouts and make physical activity something to look forward to. Switch up your exercises, locations and timings to keep things fresh for both your body and your mind. 

Try something new: UAE-specific workout options

If you’ve always kept the same routine and are starting to tire of it, or perhaps you’re just getting started on your fitness journey, we’ve got some suggestions when it comes to UAE fitness. 

Whether you’re looking to go solo or would like to join a group workout, read on for some fresh workout inspo. 

Solo workout ideas

The UAE fitness scene is packed with scenic spots to get your sweat on. Taking a sunset run on Kite Beach or getting your steps in at sunrise across JBR (Jumeirah Beach Residence) doesn’t even feel like a workout. Before you know it you’ll have hit your distance and you’ll probably want to keep going for even longer. 

If jogs aren’t your thing, head out to the dunes for a desert hike or some sand sprints HIIT. The UAE’s magnificent landscape makes it the perfect place to get active and explore, away from the mundane. 

If you prefer something a little more organised, many gyms throughout Dubai offer stunning rooftop facilities. You can’t beat a blast on the treadmill or dip in an infinity pool hundreds of metres in the air. If you haven’t tried it, this is one sure to revitalise your enthusiasm for working out. 

Group exercise

If you get a lot of energy from other people or need a little extra motivation to stick to your workout routine, group exercise is a great option to bring the fun back to your workouts.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi are filled with great gyms and studios, offering all kinds of sessions from HIIT and spinning to dance and combat sports. Or, if you’re looking for something a little less intense, join a Pilates or yoga class.

Whichever type of class you choose, signing up for one not only helps you stick to your routine (as you can’t just say ‘I’ll do it later’) but it also gives you the chance to meet new people and make an event out of your fitness efforts. 

If this sounds like something you’re interested in, take a look at the next Innermost: Walk Club. Just bring some suitable walking footwear, a reusable water bottle and an appetite for socialising. We even round off the walk with a drink or bite to eat at the end, if you’re up for it. 

Mix it up

If you’ve finessed a fine-tuned gym routine, it can be tricky to break out of the mould and try something new but if you’re starting to lose motivation for your workouts, that’s a surefire sign that something needs to change.

That’s not to say you need to ditch your established routine, but try mixing it up and throwing some other forms of exercise in there. If you do most of your exercise inside an air conditioned gym, try a run along the beach (maybe before sunrise or after sunset to avoid the hottest periods of the day), go for a cycle or swim, or try your hand at rock climbing. 

Whatever it may be, keep your body guessing and your mind stimulated to get the most out of your workouts and stay on track for the long term. 

Have something to work towards

For many people, working out with no defined end goal can make motivation hard to come by. Obviously we all know the real ‘end goal’ is a happy, healthy life, but it can be hard to see that in the shorter term. One way to tackle this problem is to sign yourself up for an organised event, like a 5/10k run, or maybe even a marathon if you fancy a bigger challenge.

There are endless options when it comes to organised events, including the iconic HYROX (coming to Abu Dhabi for the first time in 2025), with many other beginner-friendly events featuring fun challenge elements like inflatable obstacle courses. The Dubai 30x30 Fitness Challenge is coming up too, just saying… 

These events are also a great opportunity to connect with other likeminded people. She Runs is now the largest women’s event in Dubai and is a symbol of women’s progress. This is just one example but the uniting power of sport and exercise is something to celebrate and make the most of throughout your fitness journey. 

As a bonus - if you know you’re t-minus 6 weeks out from the big event, you might find getting laced up for that morning run just that bit easier. 

Fuel your body

Last but certainly not least, if you’re struggling with motivating yourself for your workouts it might be time to take a look at how you’re fuelling your body. 

With the best will in the world, it’s hard to get revved up for a tough workout if your body is seriously lacking in the nutrients it needs to work at its highest level. However, with a busy schedule it can also be very difficult to maintain a balance diet which gives your body everything it needs.

If you’re looking to up your protein intake, take a look at our range of protein powders – we even have some vegan nutrition options, like The Health Protein, if that’s your bag. 

If you’re good on protein but need a little pre-workout boost, check out The Energy Booster to help you push yourself even further. 

Shake it up and keep moving forward

All this goes to say you might not need a complete workout overhaul - just a few small changes can make a big difference to your consistency and enjoyment of exercising.

So, switch up your workouts, book that event and get yourself set with some high-quality nutrition – your body will thank you for it.

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When it comes to improving your fitness levels, lifestyle and nutrition are key. From the number of hours of sleep you get each night to your daily nutrition and everything in between, each is as important as the other. This extends to finding the right protein powder to fuel your workout routine. Yet today more than ever, what goes into that shaker bottle now goes beyond macros and muscle; more and more people are asking themselves – ‘how does this protein powder align with my religious values and beliefs?’ While we’ve spoken before about our clean, research based and ethically sourced ingredients here at Innermost, this time we want to get a little more specific with a focus on halal and halal protein powder. With so many voices and fluff information around, it can be difficult to know exactly what protein is and isn’t halal friendly. That’s why we’ve put together this nifty guide. We’re going to break down all the myths and everything you need to know about halal protein. What you should be looking out for, what makes proteins like whey halal friendly as well as the benefits that halal friendly protein can offer to your body.  Right, let’s get into it. What is halal protein? I’m sure most of you are already aware of halal, but for the 1% of you that might not be, let’s take a step back and ask: what is halal protein? Halal – meaning ‘permissible’ in Arabic – refers to any food product that complies with Islamic dietary laws as stated within the Qur’an and Islamic jurisprudence. This makes it a core element of Islamic faith and a key cornerstone of their commitment to leading a pure and disciplined life under the guidance of Allah. Some of the key guidelines for halal foods include: Halal friendly ingredients – certain ingredients are not permissible under a halal diet, including pork (and any byproducts), alcohol and blood. Other animal products can be halal as long as they are killed in accordance with the ethical treatment guidelines below. Ethical treatment of animals – For non-pork meats to be considered halal, animals must be treated humanly and responsibly during their life. This includes: Having access to clean water and nutritious food. Being raised in a free-range and stress-free environment. Not being subjected to cruelty, abuse, or unnecessary suffering. The process of killing any animal must also be quick and humane to be considered halal, with any suffering kept to the complete minimum. Importantly, to be considered halal, the name of Allah must be pronounced during the humane killing to ensure the sanctity of life is recognised throughout the process. No cross contamination - During the preparation process, halal foods must never come into contact with non halal foods. This means no cross contamination between preparation surfaces, equipment used, the handling of foods and storage. As such, ingredients such as milk can be halal however it depends on the production process and if additional non-halal additives (such as gelatin) are added. So, what does this mean for protein?  Essentially any animal protein is halal as long as it adheres to the guidelines we’ve mentioned. The best way to tell is that products – such as Innermost proteins - will be certified halal friendly on the packaging. Is protein powder halal? So, with that said you might be wondering: is my choice of protein powder halal? The truth is that protein powder can absolutely be halal, however it entirely depends on the ingredients used as well as the overall production process. Common protein sources like whey, casein, egg white, and plant-based proteins (such as pea, soy, or rice) can all be halal if they are sourced and manufactured in compliance with halal standards. While many of the larger brands do not meet these standards and cannot claim to offer halal protein, our range of Innermost protein powders and supplements are all certified halal, emphasising our dedication to ethical sourcing our use of clean sourcing without additives. From our pea protein fuelled (and vegan) The Health Protein, The Fit Protein, to our whey protein powered The Strong Protein and The Lean Protein, all our products are sourced in a halal-compliant manner. Benefits of halal protein powder You hear it all the time when it comes to ethical and dietary beliefs – ‘a vegan diet isn’t good for you’ or ‘a vegetarian mix can’t possibly have the nutrients you need. The reality is, that adhering to these sorts of values within your fitness routine and diet can have great benefits for the body. Halal protein powders are no different; they offer a range of benefits for individuals who are conscious of both their health and dietary requirements. Just some of the benefits of halal protein powder are: Clean ingredients: With halal protein powders, you can be confident that there will be no harmful or questionable ingredients/ additives such as silica. What does this mean? Your body has an easier job digesting and absorbing all the good stuff, ensuring you get the most out of your supplements. Quality protein: Halal protein powders use complete protein sources, ensuring your body gets all the amino acids it needs for effective muscle repair and growth.  Ethical production: We’ve mentioned plenty of times already, but that’s just how key ethical and clean production is to making protein halal. By avoiding things such as additional additives and cross contamination, your body is fuelled with a safer and more trustworthy supplement. Supports fitness and wellness goals: Whatever your fitness goals; halal protein has you covered. From building muscle to losing weight, the absence of excess sugars or fillers ensures you are best placed to smash your targets. Common misconceptions about halal protein powders With so much noise and no real answers around halal proteins, we thought it would be helpful to list of some of the key misconceptions regarding the diet and what the actual truths are. All vegan protein powders are halal Given that so much of halal is driven by animals and their ethical treatment, you might just assume every vegan protein powder is halal because it is made of.. well, plants. The reality however is that vegan proteins aren’t necessarily halal – it all comes down to the production process. While Innermost vegan proteins are proudly halal certified, other protein powders can be produced with alcohol-based flavourings, non-halal emulsifiers, or might be processed in facilities that handle haram products – leading to cross contamination – not good! Is whey protein halal? On the other side of the spectrum, whey protein – being a byproduct of milk – is generally considered to be haram. Again, the truth is that whey protein can be halal provided that the milk is taken from cows that were treated ethically and within halal principles. Today, there are many halal-certified whey protein powders that are safe and effective for Muslim consumers. Halal certification doesn’t matter There is often an assumption made that if the ingredients look clean then the protein must be halal – regardless of certification. The truth is that what makes something halal goes beyond ingredients. Production and sourcing our also key factors that many companies do not consider. With halal certification on your favourite protein powders, you can be sure that every step—from sourcing and production to packaging and distribution—has been reviewed and approved according to strict halal standards.  Is Innermost protein powder halal? In short, yes. We at Innermost make it our mission to not only aid in muscle growth and recovery, but also to create protein supplements that are ethically sourced and rigorously tested to ensure individuals of any faith can smash their fitness goals.  Unlike competitors, our proteins are clean and built with the highest quality of ingredients and free from unnecessary additives and artificial ingredients.   We are proud to say that all our products are officially halal certified making them a suitable choice for those following the halal beliefs. This certification ensures that all ingredients and manufacturing processes meet Islamic dietary laws, with no use of haram substances such as pork derivatives or alcohol. With this in mind, why not check out our range of Innermost supplements to find out more about our halal proteins?     Read more
The Benefits Of Vegan Protein Powder