Make no excuses

She drives a long way to work - from Sharjah to Dubai - armed with her favourite CDs and audio books and this helps her beat the stress of commuting.

The senior director of talent management in a telecom company, Dr Alia Al Serkal does not believe in making excuses when it comes to leading a healthy lifestyle. She loves walking but finds this place not so accommodating for pedestrians. “If you want to walk along Buhaira (Corniche), for example, you have to first take the car to get there,” she says.

An outdoors person, she likes exploring wadis with the Emirates History Group members. She also enjoys eating out and trying new dishes with her friends. Alergic to gluten, she is keenly aware of the need to balance her diet. She takes home-cooked food as lunch to work.