Peanut Butter + Protein FRENCH TOAST

I have been craving some soft, warm, sweet...French Toast for weeks now! This morning, I decided to finally make some since I needed to clean out my refrigerator before going grocery shopping for the week. Instead of making regular plain ol' french toast, I decided to throw in some protein powder (so these could become my post workout friend this morning) as well as my fav...
P E A N U T B U T T E R. Say what? Yeap. :)

Below is the recipe for this goodness and SO easy and a perfect post workout snack too. 

Ingredients:
-3 slices of bread (I suggest whole wheat)--I used Sprouted Grain Ezekiel bread because that's all I had on hand
-1 egg + 2 egg whites (6 tablespoons if you are using boxed egg whites)
-1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder 
-1 tablespoon of powdered peanut butter (I used PB2) BUT I think if I had used regular peanut butter, it would have been fine..if not, better and more moist. 
-1 scoop of Whey Protein Powder (vanilla protein powder is suggested but its up to you)
-1/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract (optional only if you are NOT using vanilla flavored Whey protein powder---I used plain no flavor protein powder so that is why I added the vanilla extract)

Directions:

Step 1: Combine all the ingredients (except for the bread duh!)
Step 2: Spray either a pan or a griddle with non stick cooking spray (I just used a little bit of coconut oil) and turn on medium heat. 
Step 3: Soak each slice of bread until it is fully saturated in the mixture 
Step 4: Cook each slice of bread until lightly golden brown on each side, about 2-4 minutes (use your judgement based on how hot your pan is).
Step 5: Take off of pan and let cool for a bit. Serve with chopped bananas on top (like I did) and pure maple syrup OR even some smooth peanut butter drizzled on top (make sure to slightly warm the peanut butter in the microwave so it becomes easy to drizzle). 
Step 6: DEVOUR :) 

Our Real Disaster

Disclaimer: I know our blog is a life & style website not focused on world matters, but writing is my outlet and I simply needed to vent. All opinions are my own. I apologize in advance if anything offensive was stated- that is not my intention in the least. Thanks, xo

Today, we woke up and went about our busy hectic schedules- continuing our lives in almost a routine.  It's Friday,  many of us around the world made plans to relax, go out with friends, maybe even go on a road trip. However you celebrate your #TGIF (thank God it's Friday), we I certainly didn't expect to come home to turn on the news to the tragedy that surrounds Beirut, Paris, Baghdad, and Japan tonight. The world needs our love and our positive vibes.

Beirut, Lebanon: 2 suicide bombings happened last night; about 30 were killed, more injured. 

Paris, France: 6 shootings, 3 bombings & at least 100+ civilians killed. More than 100 hostages. 

Baghdad, Iraq: At least 18 killed, 41 wounded in a suicide bomb attack at a funeral. 

Japan: Powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake; a tsunami warning has been issued. 

There is an immeasurable amount of suffering in the world that we have grown numb to, not because we're heartless, but because the headlines surrounding terror attacks have become more common than we're comfortable admitting. The media will hound statistics and live feeds of the situation around the clock for weeks until something else just as evil occurs. And the cycle repeats. What's surprising is- how would we, as humans, react if the media reported each and every evil act committed around the world? The amount of human suffering going on in the world is hard to even keep track of- every day there are dozens of stories about innocent human lives being lost simply because of hate. 

It's equally as sad to know that the media is selective in what tragedies it chooses to focus all its energy on; I can almost guarantee many didn't know about any of the other terrorist attacks and natural disasters that occurred in other countries besides Paris tonight. Ask yourself this: Why do daily terrorist attacks in other countries not bother us as much as the one in Paris? Why is suffering anywhere considered "normal?" There are no hashtags for those countries. No global outrage, no Facebook or Snapchat filters. No media coverage. I don't say this with the intention to cause any type of discord, it's simply a harsh reality that not all terror attacks are aired on the mainstream media. In fact, there are a lot of reports that should be on the news but for a number of reasons, fail to appear. However, Twitter has become one social media platform that has been successful in bringing attention to the stories mainstream media fails to address. 

Nobody in a normal, sane state of mind would commit atrocious acts of violence unless they were so brainwashed and blinded by hate. It is so hard for me to wrap my mind around the thought process one must have behind killing someone because of the victims beliefs, race, or otherwise. Hate is the root of evil. Scary to think there are some individuals in this world that air our their grievances with an AK-47 or a bomb at a school, church, etc. 

Our real disaster is how we have been responding to evil. For reasons I cannot fathom, the number of people who blame Muslims for all terror attacks since 9/11 have been so prominent and unjustifiable. Terrorism has no religion; nor is it isolated to any one race or "type" of person. There are extremists in each religion and sadly members of these religions find themselves defending their faith and many are paying a price of verbal and physical assault for a crime they did not commit. This statement applies to people of all faiths across the globe. For myself, social media during tragedies like today are so hard to rely on for instant news updates because the chances of seeing the hatred towards my faith is 99.9%. 

Unless you've experienced being slandered and attacked for your beliefs, you cannot imagine my pain. Islam is such a peaceful religion. Lately, the rise of terrorist groups claiming their violent attacks in the name of the religion have taken over headlines with their inhumane behavior. As a Muslim, I want their demise just as anyone else- they are not human (in my opinion) nor do they represent any part of Islam. It's important to understand these murderers aren't Muslims. They're terrorists who've hijacked a religion purely for nefarious gain. Muslim refugees who fled ISIS will now be subject to Islamophobic backlash in France/Europe. Imagine- you're a terrified refugee that chose to leave everything you've worked for behind to escape a hell on Earth in order to save yourself/family, only to be victimized in a foreign country, whose language you don't even speak yet. Unfortunately, I don't think "islamophobia" will diminish unless people become educated. Until then, we, as Muslims, will be innocently victimized and stereotyped each and every time a terrorist attack occurs. That is something to be sad about.

Our real disaster is our response after the terror attacks have taken place. Everyone is so quick to pray for the victims yet displaces unwarranted hate to a new set of victims for something they had no part in- it makes no sense. In the 21st century, we need to react better. Don't let evil tear humanity apart. They (evil) have been winning. In times where we should stand together, we are ripping each other to pieces. We lose hope in humanity after something like tonight, but love can overcome evil. Believe it or not, there is far more good in this world than there is evil. Promise.

You win when you respond to hate with love.  

love is pure.
love drives out fear, hate, and violence,
as light to darkness.
you cannot inflict suffering in the name of love.  

Trust me, as someone victimized of verbal slander because of my beliefs- you would be surprised to see how long someone can continue to bash you when you're nothing but nice to them. They want to rile you up, they expect you to create a scene to further validate their uneducated beliefs but please remain calm. Remove yourself from the situation and go do some good in the world. Kind deeds balance a heavy heart. I know its unfair to remain quiet when you're wrongfully accused repeatedly, but I've learned that rising above and being the better person is far more rewarding than picking a fight with someone who will truly never see your perspective. 

later that night, i held an atlas in my lap

ran my fingers across the whole world

and whispered, "where does it hurt?"

it answered

everywhere

everywhere

everywhere 

Warsan Shire

Rasmin, #SpreadLove 

DIY-Overhead Flower Drop

Although I have been married for about 2 years now, from time to time, I still get messages from current brides-to-be who may have seen some of my wedding event photos throughout the net or at a bridal show asking about some of the DIY's I had done. One particular DIY that I STILL get emails or messages about is the "overhead drop" that I made to walk under during my festive mehndi/sangeet event. I regret that I DID NOT take photos of each step during the DIY process (I was too busy being a over-stressed bridezilla to even THINK about taking pictures of the steps at the time LOL)...BUT, I did write out each step for you to follow! Enjoy and happy DIY...as well as Happy Wedding..or whatever event you are making this for!

Need:

-Basic lightweight curtain rods (2)---I used some old thin golden ones I had around the house

-Hot glue gun

-Needle and thread

-Pearl strings (found in wedding isle at Hobby Lobby)

-Fake flowers (I used fake daisy's found at Hobby Lobby)--I am sure you can use real flowers if you want BUT to me, those are just so delicate, I was afraid to "hot glue" them.

-Large soft satin ribbon (I used deep pink to match my theme)

Steps:

Step 1: Take your flowers a part (meaning from the bud--bc you only need the flower not the stick and leaves). The flower is usually made in layers and may fall apart. When this happens, use hot glue to glue the layers back together OR use thread and a needle to lightly stitch them together (like I did). Also, for the big flowers, I didn't worry about putting the yellow middle piece back in.

Step 2: Place your two rods opposite from one another as far as you like (on the ground). This will depend on how long you want your piece to be at the end.

Step 3: Take your pearl strings and start measuring out so it can be tied to each curtain rod on each side. I made sure to measure out extra since I would be wrapping the ends of the pearl string around the curtain rod to hold and would need a little extra to make it easy for me to wrap/tie. Also, put as many as you would like. I think I did about 10-12 strings so it wouldn't become too heavy.

Step 4: Once you have all measured pearl strings cut, it is time to tie/wrap AND got glue (to assure it is secure) around each curtain rod on each side.

Step 5: Time to glue on your flowers on the pearl strings (randomly but somewhat evenly too). This part can get tricky so when you are gluing each flower, try to make sure that you are gluing it at the bottom side of the pearl to assure when the entire piece is held up, most of the flowers are facing down. I think I may have glued some on top and some on the bottom to get the look I got.

Step 6: Glue some flowers along the entire curtain rod so you hide how you tied/glued the pearl strings on the rod.

Step 7: Take your ribbon and tie a large bow on all four sides of the rods. You can also add another flower to each corner to assure a "clean" look and to camouflage the curtain rods (lol).

Step 8: Lay flat on a firm surface to assure nothing gets tangled before your big event. When transferring to your event, fold in half and hold it.

I hope these directions were simple and easy to follow. Please contact me if you are confused about any step or have any questions. And, PLEASE do share your final product with me!! I would love to see how creative you got with your overhead flower drop.

xoxx-Nil

PS: Watch out for an upcoming post on DIY dandiyaa's and other quick and easy wedding/mehndi decor/DIYs! :)

All photo credit: Jamie Howell Photography 

More Photos of the event at Maharani Weddings

Garlic Spinach Chicken Pasta

let me just start off by saying i love italian food- if i could eat pizza & pasta everyday (and get away with it- i probably would)... but since life is all about balance (not to mention it would probably be super unhealthy), i switch my meals up. however, with that said, i have tried a bunch of pizza & pasta over the years from a ton of places and nothing compares to this recipe that i'm about to share with you all. it's very easy to make and i'm thanking Pinterest right now for this new fave meal. 

the original recipe had bacon, among other things; i took the recipe and recreated it w/minor changes to a taste that worked for me (made it twice already!)

prep time: 10 mins

total time: 25 mins (tops!)

ingredients: 

-penne pasta

-boneless chicken 

-crushed red peppers! 

-5 roma tomatoes/3 firm tomatoes

-2 cups of shredded parmesan cheese 

-1-2 cloves of garlic (varies on preference)

-2 to 3 cups of spinach (varies on preference)

-standard italian seasoning, basil (fresh preferred) & oregano

- 1 &1/2 cup half & half (or 1/2 heavy whipping cream, 1/2 milk- what i used!)

Preheat your convection oven/oven to 400 F.
Place a pot of water to boil (for the pasta).

 Take your whole tomatoes and chop them to a decent cube size that will fit into your chopper/blender (doesn't matter how they're cut because they'll be blended in a few). Add minced garlic, crushed red peppers, oregano, basil (fresh if possible), Italian seasoning and put in a convection oven on broil for 5 mins. Switch to bake for another 5 mins and remove. Proceed to blend/lightly puree and set aside. (this step really makes all the difference in this recipe since the garlic and tomatoes are not only baked together but blended as well = flavor overload)

In a large skillet, on high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil until hot. Add chicken and cook on one side on high heat for 1 minute. While it cooks, sprinkle the uncooked sides of the chicken with paprika, crushed red peppers & Italian seasoning. Flip the chicken over and cook on the other side for 1 minute on high heat. Repeat until the chicken is fully cooked & no long has a pink center. 

Remove chicken from the pan and keep warm. 

To the same pan (but without chicken), add tomato/garlic puree, spinach, garlic, crushed red pepper, 1/3 of the chicken (sliced into small strips). Mix everything.

Add half and half and bring to boil. Only after half and half starts boiling, add grated Parmesan cheese.

Immediately reduce to simmer and stir, until the cheese melts and makes the sauce creamy, only about 1 minute (at most 2 minutes). Then, immediately remove from heat. Season with more crushed red pepper and salt, if needed.

In the mean time, cook pasta according to package instructions. Add cooked pasta to the skillet with the sauce. Season with more salt if necessary. Slice the remaining 2/3 of chicken into thin strips. To serve, top the pasta with chicken strips and grated Parmesan cheese.

tag #thelipstickpantry if you recreate this recipe so we can see! enjoy! xo

Tell your friends & neighbors about Ramadan and Eid + Eid Goodie Bags &More

Photo: Karachi, Pakistan 2012

As a Muslim, one of the biggest celebrations in the Islamic calendar consist of: Ramadan and Eid (al-Fitr). Flashback to my childhood days, I remember being in Pakistan and India during the months of Ramadan or Eid and my surroundings were full of festive Ramadan talks and Eid celebrations. Flashback to about 3 years ago when I went wedding shopping in Pakistan, we were fortunate enough to be still there for the first few weeks of Ramadan and it was such a delight to be in an Islamic country during this holy month, especially as an adult, where I was able to soak in all the memories.  

In Pakistan this month is celebrated with numerous prayers and rituals. I remember the Men would go visit the mosques to perform prayers while the Women did the same at home. I would wake up to the sound of EARLY morning prayer Azan that was heard from a mosque miles away. Every morning special foods were served which are unique to this months breakfasts. A popular breakfast food that I remember being served in Pakistan (literally with LINES of people at the sweets dukaan/shop) was the Halwa Puri combo as well as cholay (chickpeas). Then in the evening people prepare special refreshing drinks made of rose water (raise your hand if the words "rooh afza" make your heart skip a beat!) and fresh lemonade, and many different kinds of deep fried dishes. The bazaars (shops) opened late and usually have a break during the evening prayers and then re-opened again till about 10 PM or midnight. I remember during the first few weeks of Ramadan that we were there, all restaurants, food stalls in the streets and even the "Paan shops" (lol) closed and it was frowned upon to eat or drink in public. 

And as for Eid...it is such a wonderful joyous celebration. Not just Eid al-Fitr but any Eid is a special treat for Muslims, and especially the children. Eid al-Fitr is a delightful 3-day celebration of breaking the fast. It is a time to give to charity and to those in need, and celebrate with family and friends the completion of a month of blessings and joy aka Ramadan. During these three days, muslim families donate food and money to charity, gather early in the morning in (usually) outdoor locations or mosques to perform the Eid prayer and sermon, and after the prayers, families usually scatter to visit various family and friends, give gifts (especially to children), and make phone calls to distant relatives. In most Muslim countries, the entire 3-day period is an official government/school holiday. 

Photo: Eid 2014 Goodie Bags + Money Envelopes 

Unfortunately, living in the US, it is difficult to celebrate Eid with such joy. With work, school and distance between many family and friends, Muslim children in the US don't always get the full taste of Ramdan and Eid as they would being back in their mother-country. But, there are always ways to make Ramdan and Eid special for our little ones. Something that I did last year for my nieces and nephews who are miles away from me was make Eid Goodie Bags. I stuffed the bags with various child-friendly goodies and candies. For me, this small act brought so much joy to my heart when my sisters sent me videos of my nieces and nephews opening up their bags. You can purchase SUPER CUTE Eid gift bags, money envelopes, decor HALAL gummy bear candies and much more at ModernEid (Click to redirect to site). 

Ok, it can be so difficult to find halal candy sometimes! Especially when it comes to gummy candy, you must never know if you should eat it or not! Well, ModernEid made that ever so simple by introducing the HALAL gummy worms and gummy bears! These cute little acrylic boxes that the gummies come in SOLD me! How perfect are these not just for Eid but also for other party favors!! 

Last year, I had ordered the Happy Eid money envelopes, Eid Mubarak stickers and clear goodie bags. I then went to the dollar store and target to get my hands on various goodies for the kids. The sky is the limit with what you can stuff your bags with: candy, mini playdough, toy cars.airplanes, noise makers, rings, etc. Get creative! Also, make sure if you are mailing these out like I did, don't stuff the bags with things that are too heavy in weight. 

Modern Eid sent me a few samples of some of their newest items that I absolutely adored! See below: 

How cute are these Happy Eid paper cookie baggies?! PERFECT for treats for your Eid Sweets table go mini Eid gifts for friends, family or coworkers! 

I am absolutely in love with these gold Happy Eid banner stickers! These are PERFECT to jazz up straws for your party or even appetizer toothpicks! I may also put them on toothpicks & stick them in cupcakes to make my cupcakes look for festive! 

I hope you enjoyed this post on some Ramdan and Eid thoughts , highlights, & flashbacks and please share with us if you decide to put a smile on a child's face this Ramadan and Eid! We would love to see how creative you got! And don't forget to check out ModernEid for all your (modern) Ramadan and Eid needs this year! xoxx-

 Photo: ModernEid

PS- Make sure you are following both @ModernEid and @TheLipstickpantry on Instagram and Facebook! :) 

Peri Peri Chicken

It has been one heck of a week (or really, 2-3 weeks) this past month. The holy month of Ramadan started, so I was trying to re-adjust to my new Ramadan routine and then my husband and I were scheduled to move, and the date fell on in the middle of Ramadan...wooh! Moving is overwhelming and stressful as is but add a full time work schedule + long full days of fasting, it can defiantly take a toll on your mind and body. It sure did for me. I have been extremely stressed out and sleep deprived the past few weeks and yesterday may have been my breaking point. Of course, "ain't nobody got time for that" (lol) so I had to pull myself together and I decided to make a to-do list to knock out a few things on my day off. After checking a few things off my list, I decided to get a head start on my iftaar meals for the final week of Ramadan (and also learned that cooking is actually very therapeutic for me!! Lol..I was on a roll!)---One dish that I made was the Peri Peri Chicken Kabobs! 

What is Peri Peri? Originated from the peppers of South Africa and later imported to Portugal---the word "peri peri" is referred to as "hot or spicy" sauce in Portugal. This "sauce" is popular in many foreign countries. Many people compare it the American BBQ sauce (obviously a way different taste though!)---A popular worldwide restaurant Nando's (my first time seen: Karachi, Pakistan few summers back) serves the popular dish Peri Peri Chicken. I don't think Nando's is in the US yet (I could be wrong though?)---but now you can give Peri Peri Chicken a try...with a little twist! Give my recipe below a try and let me know how it turns out for you---or if you add/remove anything in the recipe!

What Ya Need:
-About 2 lbs of boneless chicken breasts (cut into kabob sized cubes)
-Wooden Skewers (soak them in water for about 30 minutes to prevent them from burning when in the oven)
-Oven safe cooling rack + Baking trey (large enough to set cooling rack on top) 

Sauce: (Will be used as your marinate AND dipping/topping sauce after your chicken is cooked too!)
-3 red chili peppers (I wanted to use Birds-eye red chillis but I couldn't find those so I used Indian Red Chilli peppers---3---but I probably could have used more to add a little bit of kick to the chicken!)
-1 Red Bell Pepper 
-1/2-1 teaspoon of red chilli powder 
-2 tablespoon of Paprika 
-1/2-1 teaspoon of black pepper 
-1 teaspoon of salt 
-1 tablespoon of Oregano 
-2 and 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic 
-3 to 4 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice (one whole large lemon can work)
-4 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar (VINEGAR NOT VINAIGRETTE)  
-1/4 teaspoon of red food coloring (I used liquid)
-1/2 cup of olive oil (honestly, if I made this again, I could lessen the 1/2 cup of oil to maybe 1/4. 1/2 seemed a tiny bit too much in my opinion. 

1) In a small chopper/food processor, blend/mix all sauce ingredients. 
2) Pour sauce in the chicken and mix it (don't pour ALL the sauce!...eyeball it and save some to use for your dipping and to pour some extra sauce on top once the chicken is cooked---(In my opinion, this is a must as it really gives the chicken kabobs flavor once they are cooked!)

3) Marinate in refrigerator for about 1-2 hours (if time, more or overnight)
4) Boil/cook off the leftover peri peri sauce that you made earlier on medium high to make thicker. (You will use this as your dipping sauce or pour some on top of your cooked kabobs later)
5) Turn on oven to Broil 
6) Thread chicken kabobs on skewers 
7) Place cooling rack on top of large baking trey and lightly spray rack with coconut spray oil 
8) Place threaded chicken kabob skewers on rack
9) Place trey in the oven about 3-4 inches from top (make sure broil is on) and set timer for 4 minutes. Flip skewers and put back in oven and place timer again for another 5 minutes. 
10) Take cooked kabob trey out of the oven and pour some of that leftover sauce all over the kabobs (or use as dipping for individual serving)
11) I added a pineapple too so when I was cooking the kabobs, I placed two slices (or pieces) of  pineapples on the baking rack and broiled with the chicken---don't worry, it won't burn!

Enjoy! 

Eat,Sleep,Fast,Pray--Tips for a Healthy Ramadan

Don't let this be you this Ramadan ;) ^

As I get older, I have become more interested in learning new things about life, people, places, culture, traditions, the world and about me and my faith. The past year, my goal was to relearn to read the Quran since my lack of reading it daily in the past few years caused me to forget a lot. Allhumdilliah, I am proud to say that so far, I have been consistent and all praise goes to my online Quran teacher: iqrarozaacademy313 (add her on skype) who works so hard to assure I reach my goals. Besides that, my other daily goals consist of me becoming the happiest and healthiest that I have ever been. Though some weeks...it's a struggle, I try to feed my body and soul with clean food and thoughts on a daily basis. "Surround yourself with people who empower you, who inspire you, who support you in everything you do & dream of, who encourage you!"..."...and distant yourself from those who don't uplift your soul & only bring in negative feelings and energy in your life". My thoughts & words I have tried to live by the past year or two... :). This year and month, my goal is: Ramadan. 

So anyways, a few days ago, I was writing in my daily journal and a sudden thought about Ramadan occurred to me. I realized that Ramadan is approaching very soon and wondered how will I incorporate it with my daily routine?! I eat at least 5 times a day! I eat every meal and snack throughout my day and drink my daily 8. I've fasted in the past but my lifestyle was completely different than it is now. Ahh. 

As I sat there and thought to myself, I started to realize that Ramadan is not about starving yourself. Yes, fasting plays a huge role in it but there is a reason behind the fasts that I grew up always knowing but unfortunately, never REALLY obeyed by all aspects of Ramadan. 

Ramadan, is about taking a step back and reflecting on your life and your goals. I think that this holy month forces us to change our routine. It helps us to slow down and simply reflect on our life...helping us to think about and appreciate what's happened over the past year and where we're headed. On the other hand, feeling hungry helps us connect to what's important to us. During our daily routine and life (especially living in America where everything moves so quickly), we get too busy and forget what it's all about. I think that Ramadan helps us reflect on life by sitting back and enjoying the ride of life and appreciating every moment and grain we put in our mouth rather than letting life drive us. It is about reflecting on our life and showing gratitude for everything, job, friends, family, healthy and opportunities we have today. Now I don't want to turn this post longer than it has already become (sorry!!) so continue reading below to read some tips on how to have a healthy ramadan without being "too tired" for what Ramadan is actually for: 

A few problems I've had in the past with ramadan- 

1- Lost a lot of weight 

2- Gained a lot of weight 

3- Skipped suhoor on some days 

4- Didn't feel AS connected to the holy month as I had anticipated to 

5- Skipped around on my fasts because I felt sick some days & then felt guilty afterwards 

Ramadan Kareem!

My goal this year is to prioritize ibadah and not cooking. Doing so, I don't want to spend so much time "meal prepping" and exercising this month, but I do want to sustain the hard work I have put in to get to the healthy lifestyle I live today. Here are some tips that I plan to go by and I hope some of these come useful to anyone reading this post too. I want to share some tips to a healthy Ramadan that I anticipate to follow myself: 

Time, Food, Exercise: 

Time & Sleep:

1- We all know that sleep is SO important for our normal every day functioning BUT also an essential part of our healthy lifestyle. One thing that becomes difficult in the US with full time working hours is the lack of sleep you end up with during Ramadan. I think it is so important to adjust your sleep, eating, and workout times during this holy month. So bottom line, TRY to squeeze in a nap before you open your fast at night. For me, it may be during my "normal" lunch time at work...CAR NAPS are THE best ;) ---If you can't nap during the day, try to nap for at least 30 mins after work before prayer and opening fast.  When you wake up for Suhoor and Fajr, TRY to get some sleep afterwards right before getting ready to go to work. This sleep is not the best for me (personally), it actually makes me feel so tired afterwards, but I'm going to give it a try again this year. Lets see! 

Time & Eating: 

2- In Ramadan, you obviously have to adjust your eating times, duh! Your "feeding window" is VERY important during this month as it is the only time you are able to feed your body with nutrition to function the rest of the day---fasted. So for example, for me: if my Iftaar time is 8:30, I would open my fast with water and dates (dates= my personal fav) and eat some type of protein and if you are up for it, add in some fruit/veggies. About an hour after that, eat some type of carb. And finally, your last meal should be about an hour or so after that, right before bedtime, eat some type of (light) snack. For me, I am thinking acai bowls, cottage cheese, nuts or berries. Then when it is time for suhoor, I believe this meal needs to be strong and full of nutrients as this is your only meal before a full day of fasting. It has been suggested to consume lots of veggies so for me, I plan to eat protein (eggs and/or shake), veggies, and probably light protein such as fish or chicken (not exactly sure if I actually will eat the chicken/fish THAT early in the morning but we will see). Lastly, hydration! During all your feeding windows, don't forget to hydrate your body! Some of my favorites this year will be: Water, coconut water, and fresh lemonade.  

Also, growing up, my mom has always told me something that has always stuck to me: portion control was suggested by our Prophet to live a healthy life. You should never eat to "get full". So don’t overeat in Ramadan because it is very easy to do this on a fasted stomach!

Time & Workout: 

3- Don't stop working out! Instead, adjust intensity as well as workout timings. This means to simply continue your exercise routine BUT cut-back on intensive training. Intensive exercise can cause fatigue, dizziness and cause you to get sick on a fasted stomach. Instead of an intense workout, adjust your workout to where you are preserving what you have. So if you are doing cardio 1-2 times a week, possibly cut that out completely and replace it with a core or strength training workout. Do weight training and 2-4 compound exercises for 45 mins to 1 hour maximum. Also, I think it is important to cut down the amount of reps you do per exercise too. Remember, this month, goal should not be to become skinnier, stronger, leaner, etc., instead, it needs to be about preserving what you have so you can focus ON RAMADAN. I personally hope I am as strong as my words this Ramadan!! ;) Also, I know that some people workout before iftaar and some after. For me personally, it will most likely be about 30 min to 1 hour before iftaar. Again, my intensity level will go down a lot since I will be fasting. I have not made a new workout schedule for myself yet, but once I do in the next day or two, I'll try to post it on our Facebook page. EDIT: So I have been doing more research on when to workout---it has been said that weight training on a fasted stomach can actually breakdown muscle by dehydrating them...which can be more detrimental than beneficial. I am thinking to now only do "core exercises" & yoga on weekdays 1 hour before Iftaar and then on the weekends (since I'll have more time with no work the next day) I'll do weight training then--after iftaar.

I hope this post was even a tiny bit helpful to anyone looking to find change in their Ramadan routine this year. I am NO specialist in this field but I am learning things on this road of life and just love sharing to inspire and motivate whoever! :) xoxx--

Story of my life in Ramadan ;)