Guilt is for the weak

Today I OD-ed on Eid candy. It was quite the feat, considering I'm not even a big fan of candy. I'm more of a chocolate, carbs, deep-fried kind of girl. And yet there was a sickening sort of satisfaction in making the decision to overdose on candy. It's not the actual event that I enjoyed, it was the ability to make that decision and not feel one second of guilt over it.

THAT'S RIGHT. I don't believe in manufacturing guilt over what we eat. That seriously messes with your brain, and I won't have it.

Tomorrow, I hit an Indian restaurant followed by copious amounts of dessert. Try to stop me, I dare you.

Need I say More?

One of the worst feelings is being haunted by iftar indigestion at the following day's suhoor...

Ramadan Honesty

I recently wrote this article about the balance between physical and spiritual strength.


But here comes the sad part of the story...I've been having a very hard time actually sticking to any semblance of a healthy diet in Ramadan. I attempt to maintain my composure when the sun sets, but moments after I break my fast, I start thinking about all the different things I could potentially eat, and I wonder why I'm not eating them.

Cupcakes, fries, cookies, ice cream. You name it, I've eaten it. And likely at 1am or so. Not to mention my lack of going to the gym. I just can't bring myself to do it. I planned on going to the gym right before iftar, and ending my workout by iftar time so I could hydrate myself. But by the time 6:30pm rolls around, I'm exhausted.

I feel like I'm failing Ramadan. It's a time when we should have a reign on our desires, where we should build some self-restraint. Needless to say, that isn't quite happening on my end.

Here's hoping the next couple of weeks are different...

Mad as Hell

I recently made this post on my sister blog:

I'm a 24 year old female, and yet I have to be the better man. I have to have strong leadership qualities. I often have to suck up my emotions and just MAN UP because the situation calls for it. The sad thing is, I'm a better man than most men I know.

And I'm angry as hell because women are so burdened with responsibilities and expectations, and yet we're also expected to be the perfect shape, size, and in a perfect ditsy "feminine" emotional state at all times.

Where is the justice in that?

How did it come to a point where women are expected to have a manly kind of strength but also maintain a perfect semblance of femininity? At one point or another, something has got to give. Women are often anchors in their families and communities - the glue that keeps all the mismatched pieces together, the string that connects hearts to one another, and whatever other metaphors you want to use. It's true, it's all true.

Unfortunately, women are often undervalued and not properly appreciated. For example, for a man to say "sorry" to a woman is admitting defeat to the weaker sex.

I'm tired of being put to work and expected to "man up" in different situations, and then later be told I'm too harsh, too stern, too masculine for people's comfort. And on the flipside, I'm tired of showing too much emotion and being told it's inappropriate. I'm tired of feeling like I have to be physically fit to gain the approval of people, instead of for myself.

There is no pleasing you, is there?

So I'm not going to try. I'm a woman that's stronger than a lot of men, but also has contradictory emotions, an easily damaged heart, and YES, hormonal mood swings.

I am not going to change, you can't read me like a book. So stop trying.

So if I want to have a damn chocolate bar right after I come back from the gym, guess what? I WILL.

Hospital Food

The entire past week has been one of the most difficult weeks for my family. My younger brother had to be admitted into the hospital with sudden and major health issues last Friday. We've basically been living at the hospital ever since. And hospital food is definitely not the best for your health.

It reminded me that thinking about exercise and dieting is an absolute luxury that only some people can afford. Over the past week I couldn't bring myself to make a trip to the gym or avoid carbs as I vowed to do. It all just seemed ridiculous and trivial compared to the magnitude of what was happening in our lives. So I sat, and I ate.

This also makes me think of people who generally don't have access to healthy food or recreational facilities. They'd laugh in my face if they knew I had the time to think about this stuff.

Yup, it's a luxury. I'm not saying I'm going to give up thinking about dieting or exercise, but I think it's important to realize there are more important things in life, too.

How Not to Lose Weight

1. Gather together an ice cream cone, a jar of Nutella, and ice cream (or frozen yogurt if you want to feel a tad less guilty).


2. Line the inside of the ice cream cone with Nutella. The more Nutella you put, the better it will taste. I'm just saying.


3. Scoop the ice cream into the cone.


4. ENJOY.


The Nutella will get a little hard because of the cold ice cream. Vanilla ice cream is better for this because it offers a contrast in flavour with the Nutella.

I should totally have a Food Network show called How Not to Lose Weight. It would get super high ratings I tell ya!

Coming Soon

Rants of a girl trying to lose weight and stay fit, all while harboring a deep and lasting admiration of food.