Category: Lifestyle

You have all heard of the common saying of marination amongst a group gathering. Boys and even sometimes girls try to “intoxicate” their partners in a bid to get them in the mood. However, as we shall show you, it doesn’t have to be so.

If you are looking for the best alcoholic drink to put your lover in the mood, then you are in the right place. In other words, what this blog post will discuss about is the aphrodisiac drinks in Kenya. We will give you information & tips for your perfect Valentine’s Day, or romantic night or first date night.

Our tips will also come in handy if you are in the mood for Netflix and Chill. Some Kenyans prefer buying alcohol online and some of the places they prefer include online wine delivery sites.

Every year, couples and those who want to become one use Valentine’s Day to show their affection for each other and to bring a little fun change into the otherwise busy everyday life. In order to create the right atmosphere at the right time, there are other little helpers besides candlelight that ensure romance and sensuality: aphrodisiac drinks.

What exactly is an aphrodisiac? And how I can tell the best romantic drink in Kenya?

Aphrodisiacs are foods, substances or drinks that are said to have a libido-enhancing effect. The term goes back to the Greek goddess Aphrodite, the goddess of love, beauty and sensual desire, who was also worshiped as the patron saint of reproduction and sexuality. It is not surprising, then, that foods and drinks that are said to have a positive effect on lust were named after the deity.

Why are certain substances stimulating pleasure?

This is mainly due to their ingredients. Certain essential oils or substances stimulate the body’s own cells in a way that is pleasant for us, for example by promoting blood circulation. Better blood circulation in our body ensures dilated vessels and open pores. This relaxes and makes the skin more sensitive to touch and stimulation, which in turn has a positive effect on pleasure.

With very few aphrodisiac drinks, however, a direct effect on the libido is detectable; rather, its side effects put you in the right mood. But which drinks in Kenya ensure more sensual and pleasurable experiences?

Aphrodisiac drinks: Beguiling alcohol

Before you to the dictionary, we got you:

beguiling /bɪˈɡʌɪlɪŋ/

Adjective: charming or enchanting, often in a deceptive way. Example: “a beguiling mixture of English, French, and Italian”

As you probably know from your own experience, alcoholic beverages create a relaxed and relaxed atmosphere. The ethanol contained in the alcohol causes the release of dopamine and the happy endorphins. But be careful: Not every alcohol makes you want to have sex in the same way. The best candidates here are:

1. Pearl & sparkling wines – now it’s getting sparkling

Whether champagne, prosecco , sparkling wine or other frizzantes – the main thing is that it sparkles! The carbonic acid contained in the sparkling and semi-sparkling wines literally shoots the alcohol into the organism and ensures a rapid feeling of intoxication. Touch feels more intense, the blood rushes through the body and leaves a warm, comfortable feeling. The perfect basis for intimate moments.

Tip: Garnish your drinks with fresh fruit or serve it with it. The best for this are figs, grapes, strawberries, bananas or pomegranate, which is not without reason also known as love apple. These fruits are also said to have an aphrodisiac effect. You can buy high-quality semi-sparkling and sparkling wines in Kenya.

2. Red wine

The fact that red wine has a lust-enhancing effect is even scientifically proven. An Italian study found that women and men who drink red wine regularly have higher sexual desire than those who drink less red wine. Red wine promotes blood circulation in particular – and thus promotes the aforementioned mood. Incidentally, the rule of thumb applies here: the more tannins, the greater the effect.

Other options for romantic dates in Kenya

Of course you can also use other drinks. Cocktails in particular are good for a romantic evening. They bring exoticism and variety with them, get along well without alcohol – and can also be enriched with other lust-enhancing fruits and spices. Below are examples:

1. strawberries
2. pomegranate
3. vanilla
4. nutmeg
5. chili
6. Dark chocolate
7. Cinammon
8. Ginger
9. rosemary

The universally popular gin, for example, harmonises excellently with many of these aphrodisiacs. We have also put together special gin recipes for you.

How to properly use aphrodisiac drinks

As always when consuming alcohol in Kenya, the same applies to aphrodisiac drinks: less is more. As a rule, one or two glasses are enough to get you in the mood. Anything above that is more likely to make you tired and maybe even give you a headache the next day. It may even ruin your romantic date night.

However, the most important tip we want to give you is: Tastes differ. Not everyone likes the dry feeling that sparkling wine and prosecco leave behind, just as the thought of chocolate does not inspire enthusiasm for everyone. Depending on the individual experience, the consumption of romantic alcohol in Kenya can also cause discomfort rather than relaxation. It is best to find out together with your date what you both like. In this way, even the preparation for a romantic evening can become a real experience.

Below are some of the wines for romantic dinner

• Lamothe Parrot 750ml @ Ksh 2,000
• Pierre Marcel 750ml @ Ksh 2,000
• Asconi Kiss Me Now 750ml @ Ksh 1,800
• Asconi Kagor Lux 750ml @ Ksh 1,800
• Asconi Pastoral 750ml @ Ksh 1,800
• Ama La Vida 750ml @ Ksh 1,800
• Versus Red Sweet 750ml @ Ksh 1,800
• Tilia Malbec 750ml @ Ksh 2,300
• Rosso Nobile Cioccolata 750ml @ Ksh 2,000
• Luis Monfort Red 750ml @ Ksh 1,800
• Luis Monfort Summer Red 750ml @ Ksh 1,800
• Bird & Bees Sweet Malbec 750ml @ Ksh 1,800
• Robertson Winery 1.5 litres @ Ksh 2,000
• Four Cousins Strawberry Cream 750ml @ Ksh 2,500
• Carlo Rossi Red Sweet 750ml @ 1,500

M Pesa is one of the most popular mobile money transfer systems in Kenya. Others include Airtel Money by Airtel Kenya, and T-Kash by Telkom Kenya. Different methods are used to transfer money from the different mobile money platfrorms and banks. In this article, we provide details on how to transfer money from MPesa to Family Bank and vice versa.

Transfer money from your Family Bank account to a registered M-PESA user in Kenya using your PesaPap mobile banking application.

How to send money between Family Bank and mobile money

PesaPap App

• Login to PesaPap Mobile Banking
• Select M-PESA Option
• Choose Family Bank to M-PESA option and select ‘to own number’ or ‘to other mobile’ option.
• Complete the transaction details and submit.
• The Beneficiary will receive notification from M-PESA

USSD *325#

• Dial *325#
• Login
• Select M-PESA Option
• Choose Family Bank to M-PESA option and select ‘to own number’ or ‘to other mobile’ option
• Complete the transaction details and submit.
• The Beneficiary will receive notification from M-PESA

How to send money from MPESA to a Family Bank account (STK push)

PesaPap App

• Login to PesaPap Mobile Banking
• Select M-PESA Option
• Choose M-PESA to Family Bank option and complete the transaction details (amount and your M-PESA number)
• Submit.

M-PESA

• Go to Safaricom Menu
• Select Lipa na M-PESA, go to Pay Bill option
• Input Family Bank paybill number 222111
• Input customers full Family Bank account number (12 digits)
• Enter the amount
• Enter PIN then confirm to proceed

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Commonly asked questions

What is family bank’s Paybill number?

222111 Family Bank Paybill Number – MPESA to Family Bank

What is the name for Family Bank mobile banking?

Pesa Pap

How do I contact Family Bank?

Family bank contacts are varied:

If you have any issues regarding Family bank, you can always reach them

• Send them a letter:

Family Bank Towers,

Muindi Mbingu Street,

P.O Box 74145-00200,

Nairobi, Kenya

• Or call them through

Phone 0720 3252 000 or 0703 095 000 or +254 (0) 20 3318940/2/7 +254 (0) 20 2240601 +254 (0) 20 2244166 Call Center +254 (0) 703 095 445 or +254 (0) 20 3252 445 +254 (0) 705 325 325 +254 (0) 737 325 325

• Email customerservice@familybank.co.ke info@familybank.co.ke

Why should you use Family Bank?

The paybill number to pay your tuition fees or your children’s fees, send money to another family bank client, receive money and payments for your enterprise and also pay bills such as water and rents.\

What is the Family Bank Pesa Pap USSD?

Use the USSD code *325#

You may sometimes make wise investments and earned some income. Whether you earned it from an online writing gig or by selling merchandise online, knowing how to transfer it to a bank suffices.

It’s now easier for you to deposit money to your equity account or any other account in two ways; using the M-PESA Pay bill number or via USSD code. Either of the two means enables you to transfer cash into your bank account safely, comfortably, at your own convenience, remotely while minimizing costs.

Banking halls especially Equity banks are some of the most inconveniencing places you can visit as there are numerous people seeking various services which can be time consuming. With the advent of technology, bank deposits are now a palm away. Safaricom and Equity bank have partnered making the most successful mobile banking especially in their niche and this has resulted to disposing the queuing and overcrowding in the banking halls.

To successfully carry out this transaction one needs to be an equity bank account holder and have a registered Safaricom number. This works to users irrespective of their location or time in Kenya as long as there is availability of Safaricom network. Using your phone, go to the Safaricom menu, choose the Lipa Na M-PESA, select Pay bill  and enter equity bank Pay Bill no 247247 which leads you to enter your account number or the account number you want to transfer funds to and input the amount you wish to transfer. You can then go ahead to enter your PIN and press okay. You will receive a pop up notifying you on the amount and the account no you fed to the widget; this lasts about 30 seconds which requires you to verify whether the amount and the account details are correct. If they match what you intended, you press okay to send or ignore it hence the transaction will automatically finish. You will finally receive a message from M-PESA and Equity bank will also notify you of the deposit made.

Apart from the direct menu, you can still use the USSD banking code *247# that goes by the name EAZZY 24/7 and enter the mobile banking pin. Out of the options available, select the third choice which is send money and choose the account to send the money to as you enter the account number. Input the amount you wish to send and M-pin and wait for a notification confirming the deposit Good news is, you can still cross check whether the funds were credited to the right account.

Most persons and businesses have opted this mode of payment as it reduces contact to money especially where there are agents are involved. Also, since the onset of Covid-19, banks have been forced to waive or scrap off transaction fees on any direct deposits to the banks via M-PESA as a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19 by minimizing human interaction. These measures taken by the banks have improved the day to day lives of people and eased the stress caused by the pandemic. And an upward trend in banking and saving appetite has been seen for both business people and customers increasing the population that can access the banking services.

In conclusion, this mobile banking services allows and facilitates for payment of most utilities like school fees, electricity, shopping, valentine dates, online stores among others.

What is a budget? A budget is simply an approximation of what revenue and expenses will be for a given period. It is often prepared and evaluated for a specified period. Company may make monthly sales budgets or yearly expenditures. The government of Kenya also prepares a yearly budget, where it stipulates sources of income and their expenditure.

Budgets should be made by any entity or individual that makes money. It is even more important to prepare a persona budget so that you can manage your monthly expenses while also setting aside funds for events beyond your control. It is wrong to think that budgets are made by only struggling Kenyans. You can afford to pay to watch weekly games and travel to your dream destinations every month, but a budget will help you know how you spend you money

Understanding budgeting is a microeconomic concept. Budgets show what you exchanged for something else (supply and demand). Sometimes what you have is more than what your expenditures are, hence surplus budget. You may make a surplus budget when you anticipate for more incomes within the budgeting period. A balanced budget, which is rare, is when all your revenues exactly meet your expenses. A deficit budget happens when your expenses are too high than your revenue. In such cases, one may need to supplement their revenue by borrowing a loan. You should borrow money when it is absolutely necessary to do so.

Individuals and families need personal budgets. There are many benefits you may accrue by preparing budgets. Other than tracking your resources and how you utilize them, budgets can help you to set personal goals, measuring how you have achieved them, and aid in planning for emergencies. Families need budgets to effectively manage their finances both in the short term and long term.

Arguably, budgets are more important in your life than the investments and properties you have. It is the cash flow that you have that will let you pay (or not pay) for everything that you want or need.

Many people erroneously think that a budget is not for them when in actual sense it is a powerful tool for managing your finances. Without one, it is quite easy to land in a very bad financial situation since it is just a matter of time until you replenish your cash without knowing it.

Many dream of becoming self-employed, but only a few dare. Instead of daring to jump in at the deep end, you can become self-employed on a part-time basis. This can make it easier to get started and overcome the first hurdles. But there is a lot to consider if you want to become self-employed part-time. We explain the advantages of part-time self-employment, what you need to know about taxes and what you should pay attention to when starting a part-time business.

Part-time self-employment: advantages and disadvantages

Self-employment alongside the main job is booming. More and more employees want to become self-employed on a part-time basis. The compromise between being employed and building up your own company at the same time is the ideal middle ground for many. In the following overview we present the advantages and disadvantages:

Advantages of part-time self-employment

• Good test run
  You can test and find out whether your business idea works at all. Is there a demand, do you find customers? In this way you can check whether full-time self-employment would be worthwhile at all.
• Less risk
  Of course, self-employment can always fail – whether full-time or part-time. However, the associated risk is lower in this case. Your economic existence is not entirely dependent on success.
• Regular income
  Probably the greatest advantage for many: You continue to have a regular income from your main job if you become self-employed on a part-time basis. Costs can be covered and the current standard of living is financially secure.
• Time leeway
  The start of self-employment is often under time pressure. After a short time, profits have to be made in order to be able to live on it. Being self-employed part-time means being able to give yourself more time to set up.

Disadvantages of part-time self-employment

• Double the burden
  One thing is clear: if you want to become self-employed as a part-time job, you have to be aware of the double burden. Finding the motivation and energy to start your own business in addition to a full-time job is very exhausting and takes up a lot of free time – which also affects family, friends and hobbies .
• Hardly any flexibility
  Since they are still tied to the working hours from the job, part-time self-employed people can only react with little flexibility to customer expectations and wishes. This can lead to dissatisfaction and make it difficult to get started.
• Less credibility
  Some customers and also suppliers have the prejudice : Part-time self-employment lacks professionalism . It is a challenge to convince them of the opposite and to develop credibility .
• Financial consequences
  The financial risk is lower, but still there. If you become self-employed on a part-time basis and fail, you have to pay the costs incurred and possible debts from your salary and possible savings.

Step by step becoming self-employed part-time in Kenya

Do you want to become self-employed part-time – but how? We have explained step by step what you need to do on the way to successful self-employment as a part-time job :

1. Develop an idea
First of all, of course, you need a brilliant idea with which you want to start your own business part-time. A product or service that you want to offer and for which there is a demand. Also check whether individual requirements have to be met for the implementation. Some activities require specific training or qualifications – you must of course bring these with you or acquire them in advance.

2. Write a business plan

Although the business plan is not mandatory, it is a great advantage for founders. The document contains all the important information about your part-time self-employment: from the idea to a market analysis, financing and desired goals. A business plan provides important orientation for upcoming decisions.

3. Register self-employment

The step that actually turns you into a part-time self-employed person: you have to officially register your activity with the authorities. As a rule, a business registration is necessary for this – exceptions are freelancers who only have to register with the tax authorities.

4. Inform employers

You want to become self-employed part-time, but in most cases you have to inform your boss about it. A look at the employment contract for the specific regulations will help here. In principle, however, the following applies: your employer may not forbid you to be self-employed part-time without a good reason (more on this at the end of the article).

Freelance online jobs are the trend in Kenya. Freelancing is a collective term for various jobs one can work at will without the confines of formal work places. Freelancers are self-employed people who work independently for various clients and projects. This makes the freelancer jobs varied and versatile compared to employees – but often also unpredictable. We’ll show you what to look out for as a freelancer; the best platforms on which you can find jobs as well as practical tips on acquisition and pricing…

More than 500,000 Kenyans are working as online freelancers due to the high unemployment rate in Kenya.

Definition: What are freelancers?

It is not the job that decides who is a freelancer, but the type of employment. Freelancers are independent service providers who work for their clients. They are not integrated into the company or bound by instructions. As a rule, they decide themselves about working hours and place of work. Cooperation is usually limited to a period of time or a project.

Freelancers do not receive a fixed, regular salary. They work on a fee basis : They are paid for the work by the hour or a flat rate. For this, freelancers have to pay trade tax, income tax and sales tax and take care of their own health insurance and old- age provision .

Most freelancers work in the IT and media industry, in advertising and in consulting. Typical freelance jobs are programmers, web designers, graphic artists, designers, marketers, coaches, trainers or consultants.

Under certain conditions , lecturers, educators , midwives , teachers , speech therapists, childminders and social workers can also be freelancers. The decisive criterion is that they independently carry out an activity of a scientific, artistic, literary, teaching or educational nature. Another feature of the liberal professions is an academic degree. Many are also required to register. This means that doctors, architects, lawyers, notaries, tax consultants and consulting engineers must be registered with a professional chamber.

Freelancer platforms in Kenya: Where to find freelance jobs in Kenya?

A permanent challenge for freelancers: finding new clients, projects and jobs. That’s the only way they make money. The goal of most freelancers is to build long-term customer relationships that will result in follow-up orders. This makes income more regular and calculable. There are now several platforms on the Internet that offer and mediate freelancer jobs. We present the most important ones here (in alphabetical order):

1. Elannce.com
2. Fiverr.com
3. Freelancer.com
4. Guru.com
5. Rentacoder.com
6. Upwork.com

The above-mentioned are arguably the best freelancing sites in Kenya. The websites provide you with an avenue to find jobs from different clients around the world. Sometimes finding your first job in this platforms is difficult but once you build a good reputation on the platforms, all becomes a bliss.

Freelancing in Kenya concerns

Do freelancers pay tax in Kenya? Consultants can expect withholding tax to be deducted if their pay is over Sh24,000 per month, but as a freelancer, you are still required to account for your full tax at the end of the year.

Can you be paid via MPesa for working as an online freelancer in Kenya? Yes, some platforms support M-Pesa, a money withdrawal method for freelancers in Kenya. MPesa one to withdraw their earnings to their banks.

Am I suitable to work as a freelancer in Kenya?

Working as a freelancer has a number of advantages. For example, the freedom and flexibility to work when and where you want. It is precisely this self-determination that appeals to many about the jobs. However, freelance work is not for everyone. After all, free, “ remote ” work also harbors numerous risks and uncertainties.

To find out if you are suitable for a freelance job, you should carefully examine and consider the following points:

• Drive and motivation

What attracts you to freelance work? Self-employment or do you want to escape from a boring job? In the second case, the motivation will not be enough in the long run. If you want to work independently, you have to be willing to work more, harder and longer than as an employee. Make it clear to yourself that the responsibility for success lies entirely with you.

• Network and contacts

Can you do marketing? Qualifications and skills are important. Without contacts and a large network, customers will be missing in the long run. These do not come to you at the beginning, but have to be acquired . Means: a lot of door-to-door cleaning. On the phone or on the internet . You have to be able and willing to do that. Anyone who is too shy for this is more likely to fail as a freelancer .

• Services and Product

What do you offer? You should be able to name your services and products clearly and distinguish them from others. You can only assert yourself on the market with a clear profile, including a unique selling proposition , for which there is relevant demand. If you have to convince your customers that they have a problem that you want to solve, it becomes difficult.

• Resilience and Organization

What are you willing to give up? As a freelancer, you initially work “yourself” and “constantly”. Instead of free time there is stress, long working days and no holidays. You’re just building a business. This is not possible without the appropriate resilience.

• Good organization and self-management.

Especially when there are several clients and parallel projects, you have to keep track of things, contain the workload and be able to work efficiently.

Success as a freelancer or self-employed individual: 4 practical tips

Anyone who wants to become self-employed as a freelancer usually goes through 9 classic steps until the first successful order is completed.

In order for the freelance work to remain successful, however, it takes a little more. Most freelance jobs are not scalable. Means: If there are no orders, you get sick or you want to go on vacation, you have no income. Therefore, freelancers should create a stable foundation to secure their independence. How does that work? Here are the tips:

• Expand customer base

In the financial world, one speaks of diversification: minimizing the risk of loss through diversification. For freelancers this means: Never make yourself dependent on ONE well-funded client. Even if you are busy at the moment, you should invest at least three hours every week in acquiring new customers and systematically expanding the customer base. Anyone who earns more than 5/6 of their income from a client is considered to be bogus self-employed .

• Mix orders

You should also expand your service portfolio. By cleverly mixing your offer, you get orders and projects from different sources and industries. This is important if an area is showing signs of economic weakness. Then you can compensate for that with other jobs. However, the services should be complementary and complement each other, so that the full spectrum is also interesting for regular customers.

• Attend continuing education courses

Continuous training is even more important for freelancers than for employees. Your current skills are your livelihood. You can even receive financial support through the education bonus. So invest the money you earn in yourself regularly.

• Build reserves

Ideally, freelancers calculate with an annual budget, because income can fluctuate greatly from month to month. Tax prepayments and back payments are often overlooked. The Treasury knows no mercy. So form regular reserves from all earnings in different accounts. Anyone who has problems with this can also pay themselves a fictitious salary. That shouldn’t be more than 30 percent of sales initially, until you have an overview of how the business is developing.

The right pricing strategy for freelancers in Kenya

At the beginning, the question arises for many: “What can I charge for my work?” Just don’t sell below value! However, pricing always depends on supply and demand. That means: What you believe, what your work is worth, doesn’t count. More important is what customers are willing to pay and what (international) alternatives they have. Therefore, calculate your costs and prices in such a way that you remain competitive.

Freelancers have two options:

1. Daily or Hourly Rates

Think of yourself like an employee: What would they make in gross salary in the industry and position? Rule of thumb: Multiply your salary by two and count it down to your working hours. Please don’t forget social security contributions and private provision. Another cost factor: advance payments. Many clients expect sketches, drafts or concepts in advance, which are not initially paid for, but do work. These “advertising costs” are part of the entrepreneurial risk.

2. Fixed Prices

Alternatively, you can request fixed prices for a job or project. Most customers like so-called “flat rate lists” because it makes the costs more calculable for them. To ensure that this does not turn into a loss for you, you must describe the project and your services in advance and realistically estimate the time required. If you miscalculate, you pay out of your own pocket. Even in the event that the customer has special requests or suddenly describes the job differently, you should set clear boundaries and agree in advance that these services will also cost extra.

Yoga is mostly spiritual, yoga leads to enlightenment, so the cliché. Power yoga is very different. Find out why here
Power Yoga completely frees itself from the cliché that yoga is a place of spirituality that is visited by almost holy yogis in order to achieve enlightenment. This relies less on meditation and mantras and more on strengthening, physical exercises. Here you can find out what is behind Power Yoga.

Power Yoga was invented in the USA by yoga teacher Bryan Kest. It is inspired by the classic Ashtanga Yoga, which was once developed for western students, in which asanas (exercises) and pranayama (breathing exercises) were primarily taught. Meditations are taught less or not at all. With his Power Yoga, Kest goes one step further than the Ashtanga style: The focus is on dynamic, physical exercises – spirituality has no place here.

Power Yoga is all about building strength and endurance.

With Power Yoga in the flow

But that doesn’t detract from the principle of yoga: In Power Yoga, the students are guided through the session with the help of Vinyasa Flow. The term Vinyasa has its origins in the Sanskrit language and means something like “to put in a certain way”. For the yoga style, this means in concrete terms that breathing is synchronized with the movement in a certain sequence of movements and thus leads naturally from one asana to the next. Hence the term “Vinyasa Flow” – through the technique you are in the flow.

Even if you don’t know these terms and can’t remember them – Power Yoga is not only suitable for die-hard yogis, but also, or especially, for beginners. After all, this yoga style was developed for the needs of Western students and adapts to the lifestyle between family and work and other activities. For people who previously had no access to the principle of yoga, Power Yoga can also represent a transition to classical, spiritual yoga.

How does power yoga work?

A power yoga workout lasts 45 minutes and also includes classic yoga exercises such as the sun salutation. The relatively short duration can be easily integrated into everyday life and can also be fun for less spiritual people due to the dynamics.

While Power Yoga is a little different from Classical Yoga, there are some elements carried over from the latter. For example, breathing in these styles of yoga involves inhaling whenever looking up and exhaling whenever looking down. You always breathe through your nose.

A power yoga class consists of parts. Starting with a sequence of sun salutations, such as the forward bend, which are also known from classical yoga, you get to the workout area, which is referred to as the “main part”. There, the yoga teacher teaches new asanas, which are combined with other well-known ones and incorporated into the flow. At the end, just like in classic yoga, there is a relaxation sequence.

Power Yoga is now offered almost everywhere: Whether in yoga studios or in fitness studios. The combination of body-conscious movements and a workout is very popular. It meets many needs, can offer an opening to spiritual yoga or serve self-optimization.

In fitness courses and training theory, stretching is the be-all and end-all. But there are also critics. Read more to know if and when stretching makes sense.

Even in physical education, stretching was the be-all and end-all. To warm up before and to regenerate after the active phase. A round of stretching is also part of fitness courses and training in general. But there are also critics of stretching who consider such exercises to be a complete waste of time after exercise. Read here how you can use stretching sensibly.

What does “stretching” mean?

Stretching means nothing more than the stretching we are familiar with. The muscles to be stretched are put under tension for a few seconds in order to remain elastic and to promote mobility and flexibility There are two types of stretching: Static and dynamic stretching. The first means stretching exercises in which the muscle is held for 20-30 seconds. In dynamic stretching, a slight bounce is added to the stretch.

The decision of dynamic or static stretching depends on your fitness level. Static stretching is more suitable for beginners who have not yet trained that much. This type of stretching does not allow for mistakes so quickly, which in turn can lead to additional tension. For trained athletes, dynamic stretching is particularly suitable before sport : the slight bouncing or rocking of the muscle prepares you for physical exertion, which helps to avoid injuries and also prevents muscle soreness.

Why is stretching important during exercise?

Stretching has many functions and benefits. Stretching the muscles warms them up and prevents injuries by activating the fascia before exercising. In addition, joints remain flexible through regular stretching and the muscles remain elastic and supple. After exercise, stretching exercises help with regeneration and promote physical and mental relaxation.

Due to the influences of everyday life – little exercise, a lot of sitting – muscular imbalances arise. This means that some muscles are stronger than others while other muscles are shortened. If you exercise these muscles without stretching, this imbalance will perpetuate and become entrenched. In order to somehow keep up the sports unit, you fall into an unhealthy protective posture that promotes pain and tension after sports. The shoulder and neck muscles, the back and thigh muscles are affected. The hip and buttock muscles also suffer from too much sitting. Proper stretching can compensate for the imbalances in order to adopt the right posture during sports.

When stretching, however, you should make sure that the exercises are performed correctly. If you only see the exercises after sport as a necessary evil and if you do them wrong, stretching can turn from an advantage to a disadvantage and cause additional tension and pain. So you should take your time stretching each muscle so you can focus on it. If you are tired or overworked after exercising, you can wait until after the shower to stretch.

Stretching: How often should I stretch?

Excessive stretching can be counterproductive. The exercises are not always indispensable. For example, well-trained people who move frequently and do not suffer from any discomfort do not need to stretch after exercise. Before exercising, it can help to warm up by stretching. However, if you suffer from tension, you should not do without stretching. Rather, if you have tension, you should do the individual stretching exercises a little longer, up to 60 seconds.

So-called hypermobile people should use stretching sparingly. Hypermobility can be recognized by frequent twisting or stretched elbow and knee joints. The muscles are already elongated anyway, and additional stretching can cause injuries. Strength training on the training plan makes more sense here to increase the tension in the muscles.

Would you rather get the exercise schedule over with in the morning or do a workout in the evening after work? A study has examined the optimal time to exercise – with surprising results.

The opinions of fitness enthusiasts differ on many questions – on the choice of sport or exercise, the frequency of training and last but not least on the right time for it. There are people who prefer to start their workout as soon as they wake up so that they can forget about it for the rest of the day. If you are not a lark and only reach your energy high later in the day, you usually prefer to exercise in the afternoon, in the afternoon or in the evening . But what time is the best time for the workout, is it the morning or the evening?

Study on best time to exercise: large differences in women and men

A research team from various US universities investigated this question as part of a study. To do this, they sampled 30 healthy women and 26 healthy men who exercise regularly for a total of twelve weeks during their training and examined them.

However, there is no clear answer to the question of the optimal time, because it depends on what form of training you want to complete and what effect you want to achieve. Gender also plays a role in when to roll out the fitness mat.

The optimal time for exercise depends on your goals

• According to the study, women who want to fight abdominal fat and reduce their blood pressure should start exercising in the morning.
• If a man wants to regulate his blood pressure, he should plan his exercising in the evening.
• According to the study results, evening training also counteracts exhaustion.
• Women who primarily want to strengthen their muscles get better results in the evening.

However, the scientists do not have a clear explanation for these study results. The best time to exercise is the best time for you and for your schedule. Basically, exercise is good for your health – regardless of the time at which we do it.

The study situation on the subject is not clear

Another study on the subject suggests that regular morning exercise can change our circadian rhythm, which is our natural sleep-wake cycle. Even night owls should be fitter in the morning if they exercise for a while right after getting up.

Still other studies suggest that workouts in the evening have more positive effects than in the morning: Both muscle strength and flexibility and endurance are said to benefit from exercising in the evening.

The study situation on the optimal time for our workout is not clear. The most important thing is and remains that we should exercise regularly. At what time we achieve the best results, we probably have to try it out individually. And ultimately it’s not always about delivering the best possible performance, but about doing something good for our mental and physical health. And we definitely do that with regular exercise.

Hustler Fund borrowers will use the USSD Code *254# to access the fund. This was announced by the leading telecoms in Kenya; Safaricom, Airtel and Telkom. Borrowers can also use the mobile applications of any of the telecommunication firms they are subscribed to access the fund.

According to the information we currently have, the fund will be available from midnight December 1, 2022. The subscribers of any of the three popular telecoms will only need to use the USSD code to apply. To register an account on the platform, a customer is required to sign up for the fund through the USSD code or the mobile app.

According to the Cabinet Secretary for Co-operatives Simon Chelugui, there would be no need for registration or any paperwork for one to apply for the Hustler Fund. In other words, the Hustler Fund is accessible to Kenyan borrowers by just dial the *254# USSD code to begin the process of applying for the Hustlers Fund.

To apply for the Hustler Fund loan, a registered customer is required to:

1. Dial USSD code *USSD code# or mobile application.
2. Select the loan request option to view the limit, interest, and loan tenure.
3. Enter the loan amount and press OK to continue
4. Confirm loan details as displayed to continue
5. Enter Mobile Money pin
6. Receive SMS notifications on Loan allocation with relevant loan information.

They will then be required to accept the Terms and Conditions to join the fund, then enter their mobile money pin. Upon fulfillment of these steps, an SMS will be sent to notify them of their successful registration and the limit assignment. In the event of a failed registration, the borrower will be notified via SMS. When the customer borrows, the approved loan will be disbursed to their mobile money account where out of the total approved loan amount, 95% shall be deposited to the mobile money wallet. The remaining 5% shall be deposited to their savings account scheme of the Hustler Fund. The savings scheme will split savings into 70% long-term and 30% short term savings, such that 70% of the 5% will go into long term (Pension) and 30% of the 5% will go into short term.