http://www.sarahhackettwellness.com/

Sarah Hackett, Reem Island, Abu Dhabi (2025)

15/02/2022

Have you tried these yet?

15/02/2022

Actually found some time to yoga!

20/01/2022

Check out this latest post from our health and wellness camp

19/11/2021

lovely photos

25/08/2021

If I travelled back in time and told my 20 year old self that I would be at my fittest and looking my best in my mid forties I think I’d have just laughed. Laughed really loud, a big belly one.

It was a dark time for me, for reasons I’m not comfortable sharing and that’s ok, I’d piled on a lot of weight, my self-esteem was through the floor and I didn’t care much for healthy eating and exercise.

What followed was an arduous journey and I know I’m not alone when I say that it’s taken me a long time to get back to who I am, to recognise all the wonderful qualities that I have and to rebuild my self-esteem.

When I look at this photo I am beyond proud of the woman I have become.

My best advice to anyone is to surround yourself with people who lift you up

Focus on your best qualities and never put yourself down

Look at the wonderful things that you have in your life and show gratitude for them every single day

What are you most grateful for today? I’ll go first… I’m grateful for having a large and supportive family that I know I can always turn to.

21/08/2021

Lets talk progression!

Remember that post I did on creating new habits (habit formation)? Good! I’m glad you liked it.

This post is carrying on from there with a little story of my own that stems from a conversation I had today. The lovely lady I spoke with said: “obviously my workouts won’t be anywhere near as intense as yours.”

Well… let me tell you a little secret, they actually will be, but I, like most of my clients will be training at an RPE of 6 to 8 consistently through out training.

What does this mean RPE – rate of perceived exertion? It’s how hard you think the workout is (kinda) RPE 7 would mean you could do 3 reps more for example.

When I first started this journey RPE 7 for me was benching 5kg dumbbells, I could manage around 12 reps. Flash forward to now…

And I’m benching 16kg dumbbells and it’s still an RPE 7! (Is it starting to make sense now?)

And this ladies and gentlemen, is how you progress, slowly over time, nudging the needle always but making it achievable along the way.

Start with what is necessary and let the magic happen by itself under the guide of a good coach.

18/08/2021

Chia seeds seem to be popping up in every grocery store, and on the menu of every hot brunch spot. What ARE they though? Are they even good for you?
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𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗦𝗨𝗣𝗘𝗥 𝗵𝗶𝗴𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 - Antioxidants basically make the impossible possible: they slow down aging signs, resulting in younger looking skin, healthier hair, basically fountain of youth/miracle molecules.
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𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗺𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿 - Almost all the carbs in chia seeds are actually fiber. This means so many good things. 1. You'll stay full longer. 2. It will aid in keeping your gut health in check.
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𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆'𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗴𝗮-𝟯 𝗳𝗮𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗱𝘀 - Omega-3s are SUPER important. They have a wide range of benefits, from fighting depression, to improving sleep, to reducing the risk of heart disease. The bummer is, there aren't very many foods that supply omega-3s. There's really just fish, walnuts, and flax seeds. Over half of chia seed's fat is omega-3s, making it an excellent choice for all omega-related health.
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𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗶𝗻! - For people that don't eat meat, finding foods with protein can be a drag. Don't worry, chia seeds TO THE RESCUE! There's 4 grams of protein per 2 tablespoon serving. Pair that with peanut butter on oats and you've got enough energy to last you well past lunch.
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𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗰𝗶𝘂𝗺? 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗮'𝘀 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗶𝘁! - Believe it or not, chia seeds have more calcium ounce for ounce than most dairy products. If you don't eat dairy, this could be a life-changer. If you DO eat dairy, pair it with yogurt for a healthy dose of the good stuff.
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𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺?
In vegan baking, they can replace eggs. To use them as an egg substitute in baking, try mixing 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 tablespoons of water, then let them sit for a few minutes. A gel will form that can be used instead of eggs in baking.
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𝗔𝗻𝗱… they are gluten-free and easily digestible. It’s all win-win with chia seeds.

16/08/2021

Forming New Habits‼️

So many of you messaged me to ask how have I lost so much weight, built muscle, got to where I am so far, the best piece of advice I can give you is to form new habits to take place of old ones.

The worst thing I did (initially) was to try to overhaul all my old habits at the same time. This simply didn’t work, it was too much to handle emotionally, too stressful and just lead to emotional eating followed by guilt. (Hello yo-yo dieting.)

I needed a more holistic approach to my physique goals and this lead me to break it down in to parts. I looked at areas of my life where I needed to improve and targeted them one at a time.

The thing about habit forming is it won’t happen overnight. Like any new skill you need to practice it time and time and time and time again, until it… errr… becomes a new habit.

Step one for me was to simply track my food in an app, not to judge my food, but to simply log it, not to be attached to the calorie amount or the macro, to simply eat and track, eat and track.

That was it, after 2/3 weeks of tracking becoming a habit I then started to tweak what I was eating so it fit better with my goal. Health being the main goal meant including more fresh fruits and vegetables.

Currently I’m working on healthy swaps, lite beer or zero beer instead of a real one as alcohol is just.. well.. really bad for building muscle (can’t say fairer than that.)

So tell me! If you could swap one old habit and replace it with one new habit what would it be?

11/08/2021

The smell of cinnamon can make you melt with sentiment. Whether it reminds you of the holidays, fresh baked cookies, or your favorite candle, cinnamon is one of the most recognizable spices.
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Not only does the aroma of cinnamon take you to a happy place, but it's also a superfood!
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𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁
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Cinnamon extract has been used to alleviate gastrointestinal problems in both Eastern and Western medicine for years.
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It has been described as a carminative, renowned for its digestive, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties.
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In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, cinnamon bark oil is used for treating flatulence and digestive imbalance. It is believed that the warmth of cinnamon increases blood flow and improves blood oxygen levels to help fight off illness.
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One of the best ways to extract all the goodness from cinnamon is to soak the stick in water and sip on it on a regular basis. Cinnamon infused water makes for a wonder drink!
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𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀
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Cinnamon is used frequently in Chinese herbal medicine. The distinctive smell and flavour of cinnamon comes from the essential oils contained in the bark, called cinnamaldehyde.
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Cinnamaldehyde displays anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties.
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𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘅𝗶𝗱𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀
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Cinnamon also contains large amounts of polyphenol antioxidants. Antioxidants can help protect the body from disease and are found in fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. The antioxidants in cinnamon have been found to have anti-inflammatory effects.
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𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀
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Some spices, including cinnamon, have prebiotic properties that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria and help suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria. Therefore, including spices regularly in your diet may help improve gut health.
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Cinnamon is also a useful source of manganese and contains small amounts of calcium and fibre.
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𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗮𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲.
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Let know your favorite cinnamon recipe below 👇🏻

06/08/2021

What fitness person are you?

Let me go first:

Strength 🏋🏻‍♀️

Leg 🦵🏻 Day

On my own 🙋🏻‍♀️

Leggings 👖

Morning workout ☀️

Music 🎵

Cross-trainer 🙅🏻‍♀️

Comment below 👇🏻 and let me what are you like?!

03/08/2021

Spine Health for Back Pain!

Thoracic vertebra T5 6 & 7 can get very stiff from office work and are known for being difficult to mobilise, stiffness around this area is may lead to lower back and neck pain.

Given that the job of our thoracic spine is largely rotation, twisting is a great way to limber it up. Having a juicy and mobile spine certainly helps to keep back pain at bay.

To truly isolate the movement I like this kneeling position as it fixes the hips in place so that you can’t rock, arch too much, or bring the lumbar into play.

Add the neck hold to isolate the cervical spine and you’ll really target that tight spot.

In this video there are three exercises, start with the neck held & elbow touch, follow with hand shoulder distance and rotating, then finish off with a full rotation, sweeping the hand under the opposite arm.

You may have seen similar exercises done on all fours or side lying, these are great but can often be contraindicative for people with neck and shoulder pain.

03/08/2021

Spine Health for Back Pain!

Thoracic vertebra T5 6 & 7 can get very stiff from office work and are known for being difficult to mobilise, stiffness around this area is may lead to lower back and neck pain.

Given that the job of our thoracic spine is largely rotation, twisting is a great way to limber it up. Having a juicy and mobile spine certainly helps to keep back pain at bay.

To truly isolate the movement I like this kneeling position as it fixes the hips in place so that you can’t rock, arch too much, or bring the lumbar into play.

Add the neck hold to isolate the cervical spine and you’ll really target that tight spot.

In this video there are three exercises, start with the neck held & elbow touch, follow with hand shoulder distance and rotating, then finish off with a full rotation, sweeping the hand under the opposite arm.

You may have seen similar exercises done on all fours or side lying, these are great but can often be contraindicative for people with neck and shoulder pain.

02/08/2021

This well-loved food, once called the "drink of the gods" 🍫 by the Maya people, has a rich history. Chocolate comes from the seeds of the cacao pod, which grows on the cacao tree.

Good quality dark chocolate is loaded with nutrients, soluble fibre and minerals that can positively affect your health.

A 100-gram bar of dark chocolate with 70% or more cocoa contains:
* 11 grams of fibre
* 67% of the DV for iron
* 58% of the DV for magnesium
* 89% of the DV for copper
* 98% of the DV for manganese

Ok so that’s also a whopping 600 calories, but come on, it is chocolate

Antioxidants! It’s loaded with them and very rich in polyphenols (found in plants)

It can help your heart to stay healthy! The flavonoids in chocolate can help your veins and arteries to stay supple.

Boosts your endorphins! That’s why we can’t stop eating it.

It may help your cough – this one has always fascinated me, the theobromine chemical in chocolate can calm a troublesome cough.

Of course, this doesn’t mean you should go all out and consume lots of chocolate every day. It’s still loaded with calories and easy to overeat.

Maybe have a square or two after dinner and try to savor them. If you want the benefits of cocoa without the calories in chocolate, consider making a hot cocoa without any cream or sugar.

Choose quality stuff: dark chocolate with 70% or higher cocoa content. While sugar is an important component of dark chocolate, some brands go overboard. It is rare to find dark chocolate that doesn’t have added sugar. A rule of thumb is to choose a brand that does not have sugar listed first on the ingredients list. Better yet, choose one that lists sugar last.

Note that the higher the cocoa percentage, the lower the sugar content will be.

Please comment below 👇🏻 with any other chocolaty benefits that you may know!!

31/07/2021

MUMS! I hear you! You Are Enough ❤️

I’ve had so many messages and comments over the last few days from mums reaching out wanting to get back into their fitness routine, get their bodies back as they were pre-pregnancy, struggling to find the time to fit it in and finding it hard to gather motivation because, you know what, it’s frikking exhausting.

Please please, please, from the bottom of my heart, love yourself first, find a few moments each day to take a time out. For example, yesterday I locked myself in my room for 20 minutes and just breathed. Time out, me time, doesn’t need to be a massage or a spa day, it doesn’t need to be exciting, it just needs to be nourishing, a time to reflect, a time to breath.

You will get that body back, I promise you, and you will start to feel like yourself again 💜 But it takes time (a whole lot of precious time *cue 80s dancing) and a simple little thing called consistency. However, and this is my big secret, it doesn’t need to be hard.

Wait what?? You mean I don’t need to go crazy doing hiit training and a billion burpees every day. NO! In fact it’s the worst thing you can do. I’m gonna bullet point my top tips.

1. Strength train at a level that feels comfortable but challenging (RPE 7 to 8)
2. Leave the gym feeling accomplished, not exhausted
3. Show up consistently and do what you can and what feels good
4. Acknowledge that change takes time
5. Be kind to your body
6. Find a coach who understands what you need

Most of all, know that you are enough and you are doing enough. That was one of my biggest downfalls, I couldn’t see the scale numbers shifting and I pushed myself even harder, the moment I let that go was when I started to see the change beginning to happen. If this resonates with you please reach out. 🙏🏻

26/07/2021

The reverse nordic curl mainly works the quads and hip flexors, however there’s a whole heap of other shizzle going on.

Hamstrings, glutes and core work hard too.

I’m fairly lordotic, meaning the lower portion of my spine has a deep curve, so you’ll see when I set up the movement I take time to bring my pelvis into a tuck position and I also draw my lower rib cage in.

Lowering back slowly works the quads eccentrentically and under tension, a perfect way to build strength, while it looks like a simple move you must keep a strong glute contraction the whole time! (so squeeze that b***y a lot)

Play with the position of your knees & feet, hip distance or wider

Wider is said to be harder, but for me, with that lovely arching low back, having a slightly wider than hip distance base helps be tuck and engage better.

If you watch the video closely enough you’ll see I start to struggle to maintain the straight body position towards the last rep… or two… but shush don’t tell anyone.

Give it a go, remember form is key, go slow, and only go as low as you can with strict positioning.

Challenge yourself and let me know below 👇🏻 how many of them you were able to do.

25/07/2021

Don’t tell me I never give options 😆
Comment below 👇🏻 and let me know what’s your pick!

22/07/2021

Work Smart Not Hard!

We’ve all heard that phrase so many times but how many of you apply that to your workouts?

I hear go hard, go harder than last time, work to failure, so many times and you no what this is how you get injured, over train, and struggle to sit on the toilet for an entire week because you’re legs are so sore.

A great advocate of training at just the right intensity is my coach (tag jared here) I’ve learned a lot from him over the last few months on how to build strength through consistency and moving the bar little by little each time you train.

Here’s to RPE 7! I love you.

Sarah Hackett

15/02/2022

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