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 ;)

Paint as You Please- Artist Palette Review

happy saturday lovelies! 

i've had a pretty eventful week (of staying in bed, lol) because i had all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed. it's been a pretty painful, progressive recovery but i'm so ready to eat normal food again (soon, i hope!). before the surgery, i thought to myself- a week in bed with netflix, ice cream & my blog sounds perfect, but the medications had me pretty drained and sleepy most of the time so apologies for not getting this up sooner! comment below if you have any questions! xo 

the day Anastasia Beverly Hills released the Artist Palette, I immediately purchased it. twelve, buttery, pigmented colors for $30 is a steal these days and i couldn't be happier. it has a good range of mattes, 3 shimmers and intense bold colors that make this palette beautiful to use for the summertime. i have some swatches below and even got to wear the yellow to a graduation a week ago (i was excited for that color). i never would've reached for a color that bold and bright, but its gorgeous!

overall, this palette is a big yasssssss. the packaging print and the names for each shadow are super fun, the color payoff is well worth the price and i've used it multiple times already with no dent in any of the shadows. it is limited edition & still available at all major makeup retailers (i.e: Sephora, Ulta, Macy's, Nordstrom, Dillard's, AnastasiaBeverlyHills) 

no primer used! just Mac Fix+ underneath 

 this is the makeup i did for a graduation dinner back about two weeks ago- of course i changed out of my dress and into my sweats as soon as i got home before deciding to take these photos for the blog, lol.

for my eyes- i used phresh as the inner corner color, blue velvet as the crease/transition color and a touch of coal as the outer edge color. the crease and outer edge color are a mix of both coal + blue velvet. 

my lipstick is a mix of MAC creamsheen 'Lickable' & Gerard Cosmetics 'All Dolled Up'

my face makeup is my usual NARS Sheer Glow Foundation, ABH contour (fawn + java), highlight is ABH (banana) and MAC's Soft & Gentle. brows- ABH dipbrow (ebony)

i haven't been using a primer lately, only finishing my makeup off with a spritz or two of MAC's Fix+  (so refreshing, w/ the southern summer heat!)

The Case of the Chia

So it's no secret that whey protein shake is not my bff & I still don't LOVE drinking them before or after my workout BUT I know that somedays my body def needs it (& random fact: did you know that increasing your protein intake helps to burn more fat AND even help stop cravings!)...Well since I don't love whey protein, I'm always looking for ways to spice up my shakes to make them fun & yummy and this recipe has made its way to the top of my list. SO good! Here is a very simple, convenient & delicious protein shake recipe for those mornings on the go after your AM workout! I make this the night before bed (literally takes me 5 mins) & it's ready in the morning for me to grab straight out of the refrigerator...nice & COLD :)

-Unsweetnend Original Almond Milk (2 cups) 

-Black chia seeds (1-2 Tbls) 

-Vanilla Extract (1/2 teaSpoon- optional) 

-Protein Powder (Vanilla) (2 Tbls) 

(Optional- Add raw cacao to enhance chocolate flavor, Cinnamon on top to kick it up a notch)

In a large mason jar, mix almond milk & protein powder. Tighten the top & shake shake shake until the powder dissolves (you can use a blender bottle too if you have one). Add chia seeds (& vanilla extract if you want that extra boost of vanilla flavor) and stir well. Close the airtight bottle & store in refrigerator overnight. Grab it on the go after your AM workout or as your breakfast shake to work! 👊💪❤️

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Over the past two years or so, I have seen and heard a lot about "stuffed peppers"...supposedly as an amazing dinner dish. About a year ago, my father in law mentioned something to me about a stuffed pepper he had recently tried somewhere and how it reminded him of the stuffed peppers his mother would make as a child. He said the Indian stuffed peppers were stuffed with Indian-style spices but the western-style that he recently had was also very delicious and interesting. I didn't pay much attention to it because the thought of eating a bell pepper like that didn't seem like my cup of tea but I was still somewhat curious so I texted a friend who I knew made veggie stuffed peppers often. Her opinion was that they are delicious and that I should try. After that, I honestly forgot about them...haha. 

Then one day during dinner, my husband randomly said to me: "Nilma...you should make stuffed peppers sometime"...I was in shock mode as my husband is usually not the type of "request" particular food items. The pleasing wife that I am (LOL) who loves to make her husband's tummy happy got right on it the following week and made some stuffed bell peppers :) Let me just tell you, this is one of our weekly go-to dinner items now. Why? Because they are so good, perfect alternative to eating tacos, & SO easy to make (and versatile). If I have my meat prepped already, then after work, I literally just prepare the pepper, stuff it, and pop it in the oven. This also works out GREAT for meal-preps! Just have your meat ready (which I'll use for a spaghetti squash bake (recipe/steps coming soon) for our lunch/dinner meal preps and then for my stuffed peppers on another night! That's basically 2-3 meals done for the week...BOOM!)

My first try was using ground beef seasoned with Italian spices and herbs and topped off with marinara sauce and pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese. Then one day as the husband and I were eating dinner (I swear, I think my new food idea light bulb goes off DURING dinner time lol)...we were eating something Mexican/Spanish related I think and we both suddenly thought: Why not make Mexican stuffed peppers?! Both of us LOVE Mexican style food but we have cut back a lot on our weekly "taco nights" to avoid eating too much of the deep fried taco shells...and honestly, the Fiesta Stuffed Peppers are a very close (and delicious) alternative! Below are the steps on how to prepared your peppers:

You will need: Large green bell peppers (am sure you can use other colors too...but sometimes the green ones are have the friendliest price tag on them lol), oven safe deep dish, taco toppings. 

Step 1: Put a pot with water to boil on the stove

Step 2: Wash and cut a bell pepper in HALF (you will be stuffing the halves). Make sure to clean out the seeds etc.

Step 3: Put your halves in the boiling water for about 10 minutes. This helps to "cook" the peppers but keeping them in the boiling water too long will cause it to become too soft.

Step 4: Take out of boiling water, let cool for a few minutes, and with a paper towel, completely dry them.

Step 5: FUN PART! You are ready to stuff! I usually stuff my shredded or chopped meat first. Then I top it off with other veggies, sauces, and cheese. For my Fiesta Peppers I like: Taco chicken (make enough so you can use it for maybe a fiesta taco spaghetti squash bake?!), black beans, corn, tomatoes, black olives, crushed up avocados/guacamole, salsa, shredded cheese and tortilla chips on top.

Step 6: Ready for the oven! I usually put them in a small clear (oven safe) deep baking dish. Put your oven on BROIL (high is my preference) for about 7 minutes then take out, sprinkle some crushed blue corn tortilla chips (optional) and pop back in the oven for another 3 minutes (total broil time should be about 10 minutes even if you decide not to take out to sprinkle the tortilla chips on top)

Enjoy this with a big spring mix salad!! I usually can only eat half of the pepper but sometimes I'll eat half and then cut half from the half (Oh my HALF! lol). Normally I'll take 2 whole peppers, cut them in half so we'll have a total of 4 stuffed peppers and my husband will eat at least 2 of the halves.

*I also like to make Italian inspired stuffed peppers: Ground beef (seasoned using your favorite spices, garlic, onions and tomatoes. Then mix in some spaghetti sauce) once that is ready, you can use the meat to stuff it into the peppers and top it off with more sauce and some fresh mozzarella cheese. Again, try to shoot two birds with one stone by making enough meat to last for another meal using spaghetti squash and enjoy "spaghetti" (made from spaghetti squash of course) on another night.

     

I hope you enjoyed this post and I really hope you give stuffed peppers a shot (esp. the Fiesta ones!)...I want to play around with them and try different things to stuff them with. If you get creative, please share!! :) xoxx-

Acai Protein Shake + Smoothie

Hi friends! It's been quiet around here so really pushed myself & my co-blogger Rasmin to get at least two posts up for you guys to enjoy this week. Please make sure to check out her awesome MUST READ post on two of her current favorite make-up products HERE! In the mean time, while you are shopping online for those two products that you just must get right now ;) , why not sip on some shake? That is...a protein shake.

This post is for you if you are like me and don't like the taste of whey protein powders.

What EXACTLY is whey protein? Whey it is basically a mixture of proteins "isolated" from whey. Whey is the liquid part of milk that separates during cheese production and is found in the watery portion of milk.

Due to my hormonal intolerance with dairy, I try not to have too much protein powder in my daily routine (still on the hunt for a perfect non-dairy alternative to regular whey protein...if you know of any that doesn't taste like poop, please share!)....but I have also gone back to putting a little bit of dairy back in my life (and so far I have had no problems doing that) so this works out. I usually drink a glass of the shake after some strength training workouts but many times I used to hate it but also knew that my muscles would love me for it, so I thought, why not jazz it up a little by adding in some berries or ACAI JUICE to it? 

Now, you don't really want to add the juice directly. Instead, what I love to do is freeze Acai juice in ice cube treys (sometimes I also freeze almond milk to throw in my shake/smoothie). Many times, Acai juice comes on sale at local grocery stores, so when that happens, I jump on it. Basically that's it! To make your shake thicker and more into a smoothie, add ice cubes or more acai juice cubes or almond milk cubes. Sometimes I also like to throw in some frozen berries to have the ultimate berry-delicious shake as well as bananas and/or other fruits. If protein powders are not incorporated in your diet/routine, don't fret because you can defiantly skip it and still make a refreshing acai and berry mix shake or smoothie and get all the anti-oxidant benefits.

Ps- I have gotten so many requests on doing a smoothie-prep post so as summer is approaching, I will have a detailed (and easy) DIY smoothie prep post as soon as possible. 

xoxx-

Makeup Rave: Anastasia Beverly Hills

hi guys! i have missed blogging so much, but this semester has been the craziest yet for me and i am so sorry for the lack of posts. i wanted to do a special piece about my two favorite Anastasia Beverly Hills products that are a tad pricey but boy are they worth it. i can't even find dupes because these products are straight quality, worth every penny. when i don't have these products w/ me, my makeup never seems worth putting on, LOL.

THE dip brow pomade, $18 

this product is actually reasonably priced, I've been using mine for the last 6 months and hardly have a dent. if you use instagram, you've seen this product all over the ladies who's brows are on fleek; i love using this to fill in my brows so that they appear thicker. currently, i'm in the process of growing them out, so this helps me cover up the growth in some areas that aren't fully covered. my amazing, coblogger Nilma recommended I use the Sigma E65 brush to apply this product and it works flawlessly. quick tip- a little goes a long way, it is very easy to over-do it. build up the product instead of piling it on and then trying to tone it down. don't forget to finish off with some brow gel!

THE Contour Kit, $40
i'm screaming YES when people ask me if this kit is worth it. the powders are soft, finely milled, and pigmented. i bought this about 3-4 months ago at Sephora.

*sand is slightly shimmery, good for under the
brow highlight

This kit comes in 3 shades: light, medium, dark. I bought the one in light and my MAC shade for reference is NC35-40/NARS (Stromboli), however I have seen this shade look good on women who have deeper skintones than mine (if they use banana as the highlight). Because the kit comes with 3 highlight & contour colors, the tones will range depending on which kit shade you buy.

the top row has 3 highlight colors: vanilla, banana & sand
the bottom row has 3 contour colors: fawn, java & havana

i like to mix java & a little bit of fawn most of the time. i will sometimes use only java. these powders are pigmented, so blend blend blend blend blend- or you're gonna look crazy- the opposite of contoured.


what brush do i use? i use my Nars Ita, $55 brush (i bought 2 of these when they were much cheaper, but after being sold out everywhere for months, they restocked the brushes & hiked the price up). it doesn't shed and maintains its shape, making contouring super easy- so it is worth it.
cheaper alternatives: EM Ihatake Brush | Real Techniques 301 | Hoola Bronzer brush

 is the entire kit needed? no, not necessarily. i don't use any of the other colors besides banana (highlight), java & fawn (contour). however- they didn't sell individual pan refills when i first purchased. lucky for you, if you visit their website here: contour refill pans, $14 you can purchase the colors you need for highlighting/contouring & store them in a magnetic makeup palette, saving you a few bucks. plus, online they have a lot more color ranges to choose from than what's offered in the contour kits; so you'll be able to get shades that complement your skin the best.

happy glamming,
rasmin xo

The Art of Acai Bowls

Antioxidant-rich acai (pronounced: ah-sai-ee) berries make a delicious, energizing & refreshing breakfast, snack, or dessert…especially when blended and topped with fresh fruit, granola, shredded coconut, seeds, nuts, & MORE! My thoughts: Umm HELLO! This is definitely MY type of treat! #Score!

Late last year, the word "Acia" really started to ring a bell in my ears. The only other time I had heard of it was in the past through Oprah or Dr. Oz show. Acai never really sparked my interest because many claims for the berries were mainly centered around weight loss only. No one ever told me that this beautiful goodness is so tasty. 

THEN...I started to see all these beautiful & colorful bowls pop up all over the internet...& if you know me...you know that I get lured in when something looks pretty, cute & flat out delicious! Pretty-ness for food is a MUST in my book :) Well, the ever so popular Acai Bowls fit right in with my pretty food category. BUT besides how scrumptiously beautiful Acai Bowls look, LET ME TELL YOU--Acai Bowls are THE BOMB! Yes, the health benefits are there...but for me, the taste is so refreshing and delicious that I actually crave these. 

For me, I don't really eat frozen yogurt anymore, so these bowls are a perfect dairy-free substitute to have WEEKLY because they remind me a lot of PinkBerry or Froyo. 

What is Acai: Now you might wonder...what the heck is Acai? It's pure...heaven. haha Jk.  With a flavor that faintly resembles raspberries and chocolate, Acai is a berry native to the Amazon Rainforest. According to WebMD, "The acai berry is an inch-long, reddish-purple fruit. It comes from the acai palm tree, which is native to Central and South America. Some studies show that acai fruit pulp is even richer in antioxidants than cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or blueberries." Now that is a winner in my book! 

Where to buy: Here in the U.S., acai berries don't come as a whole fruit (at least I haven't seen them anywhere near me). So instead, they come as frozen puree. This frozen puree packets can be found in the freezer section of any local health food store, Fresh Market or Whole Foods. You can also purchase it online through Amazon or one the website of some of the producers such (all links provided if you click on the name) as: Tambor, Sambazon, Amazonia, or Amafruits (I order mine from Amafruits). You can also make acai bowls using acai powder such as this one HERE by Organic Burst. When shopping for Acai puree, you want to make sure that you are purchasing 100% acai without too much of anything else added to it. You need to be careful when buying acai at Whole Foods or any health food store because some brands sold there contain soy lecithin (which okay...I know I know...almost everything contains that lol). But too much of other ingredients in your acai puree can indicate lower quality acai was used to bind everything and thicken the purees; it can also alter the flavor. If you are in the midwest or northeast, I recommend the Amafruits brand and if you don't see it at the store, then just order it online from their website like I do! I get the unsweetened acai puree packets HERE. 

Cost: Now this is probably the biggest downfall for this deliciousness. Since acai berries are not grown in the States, many companies produce and import from South America. But, I can tell you that from what I know, making your own bowl is less expensive than buying ready at many stores in the US. Plus, you really get to get creative with what you put in it when making your own at home. I ordered mine from Amafruits.com, a 24 Pack (6 bags each with 4 single serve packs) for $59.98 and free shipping. 

How to make: This step is so easy. So the basic instructions are usually already written behind every acai smoothie puree pack. Below I will list exactly what I do (give or take):

Step 1: One acai packet (you can use the whole thing like I do or I have friends who have used half and felt their bowl tasted just as good), 1/2 teaspoon of honey (I add this on days I want some extra sweetness...but you can totally skip this step as the banana defiantly adds to the sweetness), and HALF a banana (a little less if you are using half the acai packet).

Step 2: Take any blender. Sometimes I use the Magic Bullet and sometimes the Oster blender (Thanks Kim! I still love it!!) If you want to make it blend well, drop in about one teaspoon (don't add too much or your bowl will become liquid-like) of any type of juice (pure Acia or orange?) or milk (any). Sometimes when my frozen puree is not SO frozen, I actually don't even have to add any form of liquid. 

Step 3: Once blended, getting the right texture can be a little tricky. You want the consistency  to be thick enough to be scoopable, but not so dense that it doesn't blend all the way. Haha...trust me, I learned that you definitely don't want frozen chunks of acai in your bowl. *Sometimes if my acai is not as thick as I wanted it or my toppings aren't all ready yet, I put my bowl in the freezer for a few minutes until I am ready. 

                                                                                     

Step 4: The FUN  part! Get ready to top your bowls with whatever your heart desires my friends :) The choices are endless. Some of which are my fav: Mango, banana, kiwi, strawberries, blackberries, pineapple, dried cherries, dried goji berries, dried cranberries, dates and even dried banana adds the perfect crunch. Sometimes, I also like to top off with chia seeds, shredded coconut, mixed nuts, shredded almonds, hemp seeds, dark chocolate mini chocolate chips...and ok, I totally cheated recently and made my bowl totally NOT dairy-free by drizzling some Nutella on top. It was a tiny amount so that's okay right? HAHA. I couldn't help it...the Nutella bottle had been staring at me from my cabinet for a while now ;) My point is, you can dress your bowl however you like. Have fun with it! A friend told me that she likes almond butter on hers, which I imagine is pretty darn delicious too. 

   

                                                                                        

I hope you give the Acia Bowl a try if you haven't already! I am pretty certain that you won't regret it. If you do make some, please share what you blend or top your bowls with!! I am always up to try new concoctions. 

And one more thing, I have an upcoming post about Acai juice, so keep a look out for a future post on that SoOn! xoxx-