30 Minute Meals – Time-saving cooking ideas #1

As many of us already know, it’s not always easy to get exercising and/or cooking

into our busy schedules every day. We have jobs, we have families, we have dedicated prayer times, we have hobbies…and we all have the same 24 hours in every day. So how is it that some women seem to have it all together, yet some of us can barely get supper on the table by 6:30pm, let alone get everything else done from our never-ending To-Do lists?

First of all, there are ways to get around many of these road blocks without sacrificing any family time or responsibilities. It way require some rethinking of our daily schedules, our family’s chore charts or one of many other aspects of the way we are accustomed to doing things. But change is good, especially if that change can also result in you eating healthier AND exercising on a regular basis.

Some of you may be thinking something like, “This woman doesn’t have a house full of children.” or “She has more help than I do.” This kind of thinking is what gets a lot of women into that negative area where they start to doubt themselves. We don’t want any of that here. So, for the purpose of this little lesson today, everybody has the same amount of children, and the same amount of help. And we’re still going to end up with a great meal on the table in 30 minutes or less.

Meal planning is something that takes getting used to if it’s not something you’ve done before. At first, it might seem like it’s taking a whole lot of time just to save 20 minutes a day. This process, like any other process or habit we learn in our lives, takes time. The normal length of time to learn a new habit is 3 weeks. The average length of time to cement it into our everyday lives without a second thought is 6 weeks. By all means, give yourself time for this!

Not only does planning your meals save you time in preparation and cooking time, it saves you time at the grocery store, and also saves you money on wasted food as well. Remember those peppers you bought, put them in the drawer and forgot they were there? It happens to all of us at one point or another. By knowing ahead of time what exactly you need for the week, you will be saving yourself (and your bank account) from forgotten fruit or vegetables in that drawer of the fridge. And believe me that can really add up over a year.

Okay, we’ve planted the seed about menu planning. We’ll get back to that in a bit more detail in a few days. For now, I want to show you how easy it is to make a proper, healthy meal in 30 minutes or less. And it can be much less if you’re the type of person who buys their salad pre-packaged in those large, reseal-able bags or containers.

Speedy Macadamia Chicken

4 boneless / skinless chicken breasts sliced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped or pressed

1/4lb green beans

½ sweet red pepper

1 large tomato

4tbsp honey

¼ tsp. sesame seeds

1/8 lb Macadamia (or other) nuts

Sesame oil

Put a pot of water on stove to boil in order to prepare instant whole grain or brown rice as per package instructions.

Chop or slice all ingredients. Save ½ of red pepper for salad. Heat sesame oil in a skillet or wok. Sauté garlic slightly. Add chicken and dill, and sauté for approximately 5 minutes.

Water should be boiling in your pot. Add rice and stir.

Add green beans and red peppers to skillet or wok, and sauté for saute for another couple of minutes.

Stir rice and check to see if it’s ready. If it is, remove from heat and cover.

Combine salad ingredients. Add tomato, celery, mandarin orange slices or other ingredients as desired.

Add the tomato and the macadamia nuts to skillet or wok; sauté another minute or two. Add the honey and the sesame seeds. Continue cooking just long enough to warm the honey.

Place rice on plate, and top with chicken mixture. Add salad and desired dressing, if any. Sit down, as a family and enjoy the extra time you have to spend together, since this delicious meal should only have taken you approximately 22 minutes to prepare from start to finish.

Now plan some extra time for yourself after dinner! Your first lesson in healthy cooking in 30 minutes or less has been passed with flying colors!

Videos, Pictures and Sore Muscles

Videos, Pictures and Sore Muscles

(2/21/2010) It’s been a long weekend.  But I got a lot accomplished.  I spent Saturday and Sunday Morning recording more than 50 videos in preparation for the workout club membership site I am launching this week.  I am so proud of the program I have put together.  After years of people asking me what to do, how to lose weight, how to shape this body part and that body part, I found a way to answer them ALL… at once. 

The best workouts you can get.  30 exercises completely illustrated (that’s pictures yall) and videos that both describe them and show how to do them.  The concept is 30 minutes a day to reshape your body.  I have combined 30 of the most effective exercises that will burn fat and build muscle.  These thirty exercises can be combined in hundreds of ways so you’ll never get bored and never hit a plateau.

I have to say that taking pictures and recording videos with a 14 year old wasn’t an easy task.  Ever tried to hold a pushup in lowered position while a 14 year old figure out how to make the camera flash.  Yeah, even I began to question my own strength. Despite the periodic technical problems we finished all the exercises and all the poses.  I am so excited about this!  It may be one of best projects I’ve done so far. 

This week it about editing and getting everything up loaded.  The launch will be an online EVENT not to be missed.  Stay tuned . . .

A Week of Travel

I am back home and it has taken a few days to get back on track with my eating.  Being on the road has taken a toll on my eating.  I made salmon on Friday and I think it was the first home cooked meal in 10 days.  Despite the hectic travel and the subsequent readjustment I am proud of myself.  Here is a recap of my proudest and not so proud moments.

Tuesday (2/9/2010) Left for Atlanta,  the middle of a snow storm.  I95 was shut down going to through Maryland and Virginia so we had to check in a hotel in New Jersey.  I was very stressed so decided to work it out by going to the hotel gym 6am Wednesday morning.  It was basically a converted hotel room with one bike, one treadmill and one multiuse machine.  So I warmed up then did a modified version of a 300 workout.  I didn’t feel like repeats so it worked out well. 

Ate turkey and pastrami sandwiches on the road, a few Odwalla protein shakes and a bag of sunflower seeds I got from the gas station, and lots of coffee, just because.  My husband drove the entire way, so I didn’t need the caffeine but it’s a bonding thing to get coffee together J

Thursday/Friday (2/12/2010) Arrived in Atlanta 1am on Friday morning.  We spent the night at some friends’ house.  I went to the hotel for a 1pm pre-conference meeting with hotel administration.

Friday-Sunday – STRESS! STRESS! STRESS!….okay lots of FUN between that but I worry a lot when it comes to the Fit Muslimah Summits.  It’s my baby so I want it to be perfect.  I think I can get over that notions after this Summit.  The snow and cold caused everything from missing participants to presenters cancelling due to delayed trains, car accidents and simply “I can’t drive in this weather”. AHHHH

Sunday (2/14/2010) – It’s over and despite of and in spite of all the problems I am so happy I came and did it.  So after everyone left my daughter and I went across the street to Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner.  We both ate only about 1/3 of our meal.  Neither of us really liked what we ordered.

8:pm – I hadn’t exercised in days, time to hit the Gym.  I got on the treadmill, cranked up my ipod and just ran until the machine said 500 calories.

Monday (2/15/2010) – 6:00am – Heck I’m up so may as well hit the gym again.  Went down and got on the elliptical until it read 300 calories.   I would have stayed until it said 500 but I was bored and had some computer stuff to do.  It was my husband’s birthday so I went to hotel gift shop and got him a card and an Atlanta Mug.  He collects mugs.  Just a temporary gift so he’ll know I didn’t forget.

11:AM – Check out and on the road to South Carolina to visit my sister and her family.

4:00 PM OMG – The food is ready!  Steak, Fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, garden salad and red rice and beans.  I haven’t had steak in almost a year.  I don’t eat red meat that often.  So I had to debate.  Fried chicken or steak? I settled for the steak because I cold separate the fat from the meat and I hadn’t had any in a long time. Had a tablespoon of macaroni in cheese, rice and bean and some salad.  My husband looked like he was in heaven as he had a little bit of everything.

My sister said she cooked all that because she knows my kids and husband don’t get it at home.  They appreciated it.

12: Midnight  Back on the road!   Straight through no stopping.  I slept most of the way.  Woke up every couple hours when we had bathroom stops.

Tuesday (2/16/2010) – Back just in time for ANOTHER snow storm.  The snow is really stalking me. 

By the time we cleaned out the van and returned it to the rental company I was pooped.  Ordered Pizza for dinner and went to bed.

Wednesday (2/17/2010) – Still pooped….Travel does this to me. ..who’s cooking dinner? Not me.  A protein shake will work for me.  The kids are having pasta.

How to Keep Eating Healthy on a Tight Budget

Making sure you and your family are eating the right foods is an essential part of working towards good health. Too much fat and sugar in the diet can cause many different health problems, as well as the difficulty you will have maintaining a healthy body weight. We also need to get in all of the nutrients that are essential to good health.

Then there are meats filled with hormones, produce sprayed with pesticides…and that doesn’t even count our different dietary needs due to illness, or other reasons.

With all of this, plus the simple cost of foods, eating healthy isn’t always as easy as it sounds. Sometimes we just don’t have the time to make the healthy meals our family needs, and so we end up eating frozen pizzas or something from the closest burger joint. And for those of us who make it a priority to eat balanced meals, cost is often an issue. Organic meats and produce aren’t cheap, and health food restaurants can be pricey too, especially with a family.

While it might sound almost impossible, there actually are ways we can eat healthy without putting a hole in our pocketbooks. Here are some tips:

* Start growing your own fruits and vegetables. Most climates make it fairly easy to start growing a variety of edible plants. All you’ll need is some seeds, some very inexpensive equipment which can often be purchased at your local dollar store, and a place to grow your plants. A pack of seeds that costs less than a dollar can easily provide you with enough food to last quite some time.

* Learn how to can or freeze fruits and veggies for winter. Chances are you’ll have at least some left over from your growing season, and this will allow you to save them for a few months down the road. Older family members can teach you the techniques you need to know, or you can find information online or at the library.

* Buy local foods as often as possible. Farmer’s markets offer a variety of fresh foods which are locally grown, and you will find the prices are almost always lower than organic foods from other sources, such as the grocery store. Farmers who only sell locally are less likely to have their stock certified as organic, but you can ask them what they use in regards to things such as pesticides and hormone treatments.

* Buy your staples (such as flour and rice) in bulk. Most of the time, the larger the package or container, the best deal you will get on your purchase. If you’re not sure, you can easily figure it out by dividing the price by the number of ounces for each package. Then you simply buy the one with the lowest price per ounce.

* Stock up on meats when they’re on sale. You can store them in the freezer for anywhere from several months to a year, depending on the type of meat. They will be less prone to freezer burn if you wrap them in aluminum foil or freezer wrap in addition to the packaging they are sold in. You can even purchase small kitchen appliances now which enable you to vacuum seal your meat before freezing it, if you decide to buy it in bulk.

* Eat out as little as possible. Most restaurants have few or no truly healthy options on their menus, and the ones that do are rarely the least expensive choices on the menu. Preparing your own meals, even those you prepare in advance and freeze, give you more control over what you’re eating and saves you more money than you think.

Eating healthy doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You or your spouse doesn’t need to take on a 2nd job to pay for healthy eating. By growing some of our own food, buying local and watching for sales, we can eat well without going broke. Who can argue with that idea?

Home Organization – Easy Steps to Getting Rid of Clutter

When you first move into your home, it seems like you have so much space. As the years go by, you might discover yourself becoming a pack rat. What are you going to do with all the “stuff” you have accumulated? Perhaps it’s time to tidy out the unnecessary items, and organize your home.
Home organization is a step-by-step process. It will take more than a day, or even a week to get everything to a controllable level, but once you get there you’ll find that staying organized is an easier task. If you have a family, enlist their help. They can pitch in and learn a thing or two about controlling clutter in their life.

1. Start with the high traffic areas. The living room and kitchen are more often than not the two most used rooms in the house.  Everything gets dropped on a counter or the couch in these two places. Concentrate on getting everything set up the way you want it before moving on to another room.

2. Use storage containers. Over the years, the style of storage containers has upgraded to be attractive looking  as well as functional. Instead of storing containers in stacks in the garage, purchase ones that match your décor in each room and integrate them so no one would even notice they were being used for storage.

3. Divide items into categories. You can use heavy duty trash bags for this part. Everything that you find can go into a one of four piles: KEEP, THROW AWAY, GIVE AWAY, and RELOCATE. Items that will stay in that room are to keep. Things that you don’t need or are broken can be thrown away. Clothes or furniture still in great condition can be donated and scheduled for pickup by the Veteran’s association or Goodwill. Anything that definitely belongs in another room can be labeled for relocation when you get to that room.

4. Remove everything from drawers and cabinets. This is a time-consuming process but it is easier to start with an empty space and fill it instead of simply pushing things around. If you line things up on the counter, someone else can help by putting the items in some type of order.

5. Make use of all of your available space. In the kitchen, for example, appliances or extra containers can be stored on top of the cabinets, provided they don’t extend all the way to the ceiling. That’s extra storage space without the need of an extra container. Also use the top of the refrigerator for cereal boxes and breakfast food like boxes of instant oatmeal or grits. In the bedroom, shoes and winter clothes can go into flat storage bins that slide easily under the bed or the dresser.

6. Label your containers. Use tape and a permanent marker to identify the contents of your storage containers. Avoid writing on the actual container in case they are reused and the contents are changed. Labeling also makes for easy identification if you decide to sell or give away a container of books or some similar situation. You won’t have to open each container to locate exactly what it is you’re looking for.

Organizing your entire house takes time. But, once it is done, returning everything you use to its proper place will maintain that same level of organization.

Five Easy Toning Exercises you can Do Anywhere

Exercise is an important part of our lives.  Staying in shape is one way to increase your life expectancy.  Weight bearing exercises are important also for increasing muscle mass and bone density as you age.

Most of us have learned what to do when it comes to exercising.  The problem is where and when to get the job done.  With a busy lifestyle, making time for exercise is a challenge.

Weight bearing exercises aren’t just for bodybuilders.  As you age, especially once you hit the age of forty, you begin to lose muscle mass.  For women especially, bone loss becomes a problem.  When the body is in need of calcium it can rob it from your bones.  Building muscle not only increases their mass but your strength.

Here are five easy toning exercises that can be done anywhere and whenever you have time.  You can do these easy yet extremely effective exercises just about anywhere too.

1. The Bridge Butt Lift – while this might sound like a plastic surgery technique, it is an easy way to tone your buttocks.  Lay down with feet flat on the floor, legs shoulder width apart.  Place your hands, palm side down, on either side of your body.  Pushing with your feet, squeeze your gluteal muscles and lift your butt off the floor.  Hold the position for a count of five to ten and release down to the floor.

2. Squats – Squats work the butt, the hamstring muscles and the quadriceps.  If you aren’t sure of proper form, you can use a chair.  Stand with feet shoulder width apart and feet firmly planted.  Push your butt back as if you were preparing to sit in a chair.  Keep your abs tight and your upper body straight.  Once you reach chair level stop and hold the position for a count of two to five and release.  At the lowest point, place all of your weight on your heels for balance and maximum toning.

3. Reverse Lunges – Lunges work the quadriceps muscles.  They can be hard for people with knee problems.  A reverse lunge still tones the right muscle groups but with less pressure on the knee.  Stand with feet together and arms at your sides.  Take one leg and move it backwards until you are in lunge position: front leg bent at a 90 degree angle and back leg extended until you are on the ball of your foot.  From this position lower yourself down until the back knee almost touches the floor.  Hold for a count of two and return to starting position.

4. Pushups – This is a classic toning exercise that works all areas of the arms plus the chest muscles.  If you aren’t comfortable or strong enough to perform a pushup on your toes, lower your body to your knees.  Be sure your arms are tucked into the body and your back straight as you lower and lift your body.

5. Crunches – Abdominal muscles can be worked every day to build strength and muscle tone.  Lying on the floor in sit up position, lace your fingers behind your head.  Squeezing your abdominal muscles, lift your upper body until your lower back is about to come off the floor.  Hold for two to five counts and return to starting position.

These five exercise moves can be done whenever you have time.  The best thing about exercise is that its effects are cumulative.  Even five or ten minutes at a time will work to your advantage. They are easy to do in the comfort of your home, and are great for those days when getting to the gym aren’t possible.

Fit Muslimah Summit Atlanta Ga Worshop Descriptions

Sakeena Abdul-Hakeem

Just like most women, Sakeena Abdul-Hakeem is a “regular” mom- maintaining a household, putting others before self, working, and caring for children.  She quickly found that being athletic as a teenager, working out at the gym 5+ times a week, and eating healthy were all a thing of the past.  But when the ill effects of putting one’s self last began to take effect, she took action.  Her first break came shortly after the addition of her second child and some rather stubborn baby weight.  When it was suggested that she raise money for the American Stroke Association by training to run a 26.2 mile marathon in their Training To End Stroke program, she quickly decided to accept the challenge.  She trained diligently and four months later, ran across the finish line in Kona, Hawaii, completing her first marathon in 2006.  She vowed to help others do the same and began a program to train other Muslim women for the Inaugural ING Marathon in Atlanta, Georgia in 2007.  Now with two marathons under her belt, Sakeena makes the time to work out a minimum of 3 times a week, prepares meals for her family with an eye for their health as well as her own, and feels proud and confident in her newfound FIT.

Fit and Fully Covered

What are the requirements for proper attire in Islam? How can we cover up, yet still be active? Every woman wants to look great in her skin. Why work out if you have to cover it up? Can looking great and being modest coexist?

No Excuses: Exercise TIME is like money; you don’t find it, you MAKE it!

Get it in where you can FIT it in! No one is holding you back from being your absolute best but YOU.  Don’t wait for it to happen; make it happen! Find out how to make the most of your day by incorporating these 8 life changing tips. Take the first step towards improving your SELF today!

 

Amina Abdul-Jalil

Amina Abdul-Jalil is a full time student at Georgi a State University, a full-time wife and mother of 3. She has lived in Atlanta, Georgia for 19 years. She has spoken at several conferences including the 2008 Riyaada.

 

Bringing Muslim Sexy Back: Sex Appeal and Islam are not Opposites

Islam does not teach that sex is shameful or dirty. It does not present chastity and modesty as impoverished, inactive or homely. However, living in a Judaeo-Christian societal majority, these constructs have bled into our Ummah. This workshop will present the origins of common sexual misconceptions and their modern day implications and applications. In addition, the Islamic perspective will be presented dispelling these ideological myths and addressing many of the resulting problems as seen in our sisterhood.  Finally, some reality checks will be doled out for real world application.

 

Fatimah Ash-Shakur (Um Tabari)

Umm Tabari is a retired Registered Nurse , Colon-hydrotherapist/ Instructor     (I-ACT certified), Certified Hakima  (Quranic Open University) which she achieved through four months extensive training in Pakistan in rudiments of Unani/Tibb medicine, herbal medicine formulation and preparation  in addition she is a Health and Wellness Consultant and offers consultations in preventative health and alternative approaches to healthcare.  Ms. Ash-Shakur has contributed articles to the Islamic Post and Ghazala Magazine and is currently enrolled in The Avicenna Institute.

 

Detox for Health

This workshop looks at the myths and truths about detoxification diets.  We will explore various reasons and benefits of a detox diet to improve health, decrease symptoms of disease and overall health. This workshop introduces you to the concept of a full body detoxification. We discuss what toxins are, and how they affect us.

 

 

Yasmin Ibrahim B.S.

Yasmin Ibrahim, Educator and coach for the TLC, Building healthy Relationship Program.  The TLC Program is a relationship -based educational  program, under the Head Start Program In Springfield , MA, Yasmin Facilitate workshops, mentor and coach individuals. She provide relationship education services in the Springfield, Chicopee, and Holyoke Massachusetts area to disadvantage teens, individuals and couples so they can acquire the skills and knowledge to form and sustain a healthy relationship. She is trained in Active Relationship Curriculum, As well as Active parenting Curriculum. She Facilitate workshops on daily bases for The TLC Program.

What Predicts a Healthy Relationships?

This workshop with explore the philosophy behind Understanding our Communication Style, and how it can impact our relationship with our spouse, parents, siblings and children.  What Predicts a Healthy Relationship?

Understand your strength to recognize strength in others

More info coming soon . . .

 

Yoquatallah Ibraheem

YaQutullah Ibraheem MS, RD, LD bachelors in Nutrition, Masters in Health Sciences from Georgia State University. Currently practices as Clinical Dietitian at Dekalb Medical Center in Decatur, Ga. I’m passionate about prevention and I enjoy promoting health, wellness, and nutrition education and weight loss counseling.

Cafe 5-9 Open for you: What you always wanted to know about Nutrition?

Everything you ever wanted to know about Nutrition: Will explore what inspires and influences our diet and what we eat. We will explore and expand out palates, senses, and experiences of others as we well as and explore ways to think outside the box. This is nutrition education in a non-traditional sense.

Selecting Foods on the Go

Will explore healthy healthful snack ideas and challenge ourselves to come up with new snack ideas to incorporate every day.

Special Program Saturday At 6pm

International Farmers Market Tour:

breif intro on Farmers market: The goal and mission idea of the tour is that we use what we’ve learned so far to expand ever more and bring back what we learned to share with everyone. We will also use ideas, items, and other points to shape our discussion for the second workshop on snacking. The tour will allow us to learn about new food items beyond the nutrients they provide.

Jamillah Jihad

Emotional Wellbeing of Women   

As women we can become very emotional about so many things; how we balance our lives within Islam is very important.  Being a woman , a Muslimah, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a worker, a businesswoman can lead to stress which can cause many health issues.
Emotional stress is very dangerous.  I am hopeful that this conference, “Fit Muslimah,” will hep us help each other release the tension of our wearing many “hats”.
In my talk, I pray that I can show how to make Islam the centerpiece as we strive to have a healthy life whether wearing one hat or a dozen hats.  Our emotional well being is vital in our day- to -day life.

 

Amani Jabbar

Amani Jabbar is a mother of two young children, and a published author. She is currently pursuing a Masters degree, and has managed to lose over 60 pounds while juggling the roles of wife, mother, teacher and student. She has since become passionate about health and fitness and is now a certified Turbo Kick instructor. You can view her blog at http://abayaandsneakers.wordpress.com/

“How’d you lose all that weight?!”

Presenting the strategies that helped me over 60 pounds while raising two little ones.  We also discussed me giving a Turbo Kick class at the summit, as I am a certified instructor in that format. I have not heard back from you, and I just wanted to touch base with you, and find out if I will still be presenting.

Haneefah Saleem

Haneefah Salim is Certified Personal Trainer and Fitness Instructor.  Producer of 6 Exercise DVDs.  She has been working in the Fitness field 10 years. She is a Certified Personal Training and teaches a variety of group fitness classes including  Body Sculpting, Yoga-Pilates, Cardio Kickboxing, Hi/Low Impact Aerobics, Belltone and Belly Dance Basics. 

Her experience as a fitness professional has lead her to participate in a Government Nationwide fitness campaign as a part of the exercise DVD used nationwide. Participated in organizing and conducting a Health fair Organized and facilitated women’s retreat where she presented information on healthy eating and the importance of exercise.  She has helped Muslims prepare for Hajj by presented information and lead warm up exercises to groups preparing for Hajj. Conducted the warm-ups and stretching for runners and walkers at an Annual Convention held in Chicago. She has produced seven DVDs.  She is also a published freelance writer in the area of Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Fitness.  Haneefah currently teaches at Ballys Total Fitness in Baltimore as a group fitness trainer in addition to offering personal training at her Fitness Life Pro Studio.

 

Don’t Just Sit There-Get Started and Move On!-Discuss the many excuses for not making exercise a part of you life.  Learn motivational tips and solutions for all those excuses. Participate in demos for proper execution of exercises from the chair.

 

How Fit Are You?  Understanding the various factors that determine your level of fitness- Your Body Mass Index, Body Fat, Waist to Hip Ratio and Target Heart Rate. Discuss the reasons why you can’t seem to reach your target.

 

Ultimate Yoga-A Mix of Yoga and Pilates-Continuous flowing movement standing and floor work. Work on Strength, Flexibility, Balance, Posture, Strengthen and Tone the Core, Deep Breathing and Meditation. This class will also help to Detoxify and De-Stress your Body.

A Taste of Fitness-An Exercise Circuit consisting of: Low Impact Aerobics, Resistance Training, Core Strengthening, Easy Yoga from the Mat and Stretching exercises.

Tayyibah Taylor

Tayyibah Taylor is the Founding Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of Azizah Magazine.  Azizah, the voice for Muslim American women has been featured in Newsweek and Business Week Small Biz and won a 2009 New American Media National Journalism Award.  In November 2009, Tayyibah Taylor was named one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies, a think tank based in Jordan.

An Empowered Life

Creating Possibilities.  Instead of living passively and letting life happen to you, live deliberately and create the life you want.  You can do this by making your intention and then working towards your goals.  Maintaining your focus, being persistent and having faith you will achieve your objectives are the keys.

 

Tayyeba Steele-Hassan

Tayyeba Steele-Hassan  is an AFAA certified fitness instructor.  She has taught classes with a local company Just Wellness Inc, Boys and Girls Club in West End of Atlanta and West End Islamic Center.  Tayyeba has run both the ING Atlanta inaugural marathon and half marathon.  She is Mother of 5, wife of 20yrs and President & CEO of ‘A Healthier You, Inc.’ – a program that promotes healthy lifestyle for women and children,

Mat Pilates 

This class does a series of exercises that focus on improving flexibility and strength for the total body, promoting physical harmony and balance. It is a series of controlled movements engaging your body and mind leaving you refreshed and alert with a feeling of physical and mental well-being. This class provides a low-impact workout for people of all ages and health backgrounds. The approach is tailored to each person’s needs so you leave feeling healthier and more invigorated.

20/20/20

20 mins aerobics; 20 mins strength training; 20 abs and flexibility. This class is designed to give you a total body workout.

 

 

Round Table Discussion: Creating Wellness Centered Muslim Communities

How to Overcome Emotional Eating

Eating is a part of life.  Your body gets its nutrients from food.  Sometimes we can go overboard with our eating habits, and it can result in gaining weight.  One issue with food is emotional eating.

The problem of emotional eating may end with the scale but it begins in the mind.  Stress takes its toll on your life.  When your defenses are compromised your health takes a hit and so do your emotions.

Everyone has good days and bad days.  How we deal with the bad ones brings emotional eating into play.  You look for comfort for your hurts.  People who turn to food for comfort find a coping mechanism that won’t judge them, hurt them or tell them “no.” To complicate the issue, eating pleasurable foods can stimulate the release of endorphins, just like exercise.  So after you eat, you feel better.

Emotional eaters use food to relieve stress.  They hide behind the food instead of seeking solutions to the problems.  This is not uncommon when the stressor is something horrible, such as children or husbands with illnesses, or a death in the family.

But, how do you know you are using food in this way?  The first sign is obvious.  You will gain weight if you eat too much.  In light of the weight gain, examine other areas of your life:

* Have you been under stress lately? Perhaps this at work or at home.
* Has anything traumatic happened in the last year?
* Are you dealing with a problem but haven’t found a solution?

Answering “yes” to any of these questions could mean that you are an emotional eater.  You eat but you are not necessarily hungry at the time.  The foods that you choose are what we term “comfort foods”:

* High fat foods like French fries, fried foods
* High carb foods like macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes
* Sugary foods like ice cream, donuts, cookies, cake

There is help for emotional eaters.  The first step is recognizing that you have a problem.  You may find yourself experiencing feelings of helplessness and guilt.  The guilt is over potentially ruining your health and the helplessness lies in the fact that you don’t see a way out.

Secondly, seek counseling.  There are many types of counselors out there, from professionals to members of the community you trust, or even a family member. Emotional eating has nothing to do with dieting or changing your eating habits, but gaining control over your emotions.

A counselor might suggest things like visualization, practicing problem solving skills, relaxation techniques and family support.  Visualization helps you to see your problems in a realistic way and not blown out of proportion.  You will also learn to see food as nutrition for the body and not an emotional crutch.

Thirdly, your family can learn your triggers for stress and be on the lookout for changes in your eating habits.  They can help you be aware of the foods you are eating, assist you in making healthy food choices and exercise along with you.  Proper diet and exercise increases immunity, blood flow and positive thinking.

Finding new ways to solve your problems and deal with stress will push food out of the equation.  You’ll feel good about finding solutions which will replace the dependence on food.

No Better Day to Start Than Today

Okay I am trying this blogging thing.  Mostly because I realize that many people get their inspiration and information from online resources.  Today was the beginning of my yearly “Get Ready for my Birthday” routine.  Yeah even trainers do it too.  My birthday is March 13 and that’s right after the winter hibernation period.  I always put on 5-10lbs over the winter.  Mostly because despite my attempts to learn how to cross country ski, snowboard and just “grin N bare it”, I still dislike being cold. So I do much less activity in the winter.

My goal this year is to drop 5lbs by my birthday in six weeks.  That’s normally a very easy thing to do however with Fit Muslimah Summit Atlanta GA and the stress that comes with planning a conference it’s going to be challenging to stay on track.  But I don’t believe in waiting for “events” or situations to pass before getting on track.  Life will happen despite of everything and health and fitness has to be a priority.  If I waited until after the Summit then I will never start.  Because there is another summit being planned for July and then another in September.  Needless to say there is no better day to start then today.

So this morning I woke up and was determined to exercise first thing before anyone got up to side track me.  Instead of looking for my workout journal as I normally would I saw an oxygen magazine lying on the coffee table so picked it up and saw the “Beyond 300 workout”. 

This is what I did

One Arm Clean Press                       25 reps each side           15lbs (the only dumbbell  I have in the house)

Box Jumps                                             50 reps                          (Used a sturdy chair)

Lying Leg Raise with Dumbbells     50 reps                              15lbs (the only dumbbell  I have in the house)

Romanian Deadlifts                          50 reps                              50lbs  (found two 25lb weight plates laying around)

Elevated Push Up                               50 reps                          (Used the same  sturdy chair)

Bent over  Row                                  50 reps                              50lbs  (used  two 25lb weight plates laying around)

In the magazine they listed a wide grip pull up as the back exercise but I have nowhere in the house to do a pull up so substituted a Bent-over row.  I could have went heavier that 15lbs for the clean press and lying raise but I don’t have heavier weights in the house.

This was a GREAT workout!  I know I am going to feel this tomorrow.  I might have to just go running instead of lifting again.

I followed my workout with 1 quart of water and a vegetable (mushrooms, onions and peppers) omelet (1 egg + 1 egg white). 

Until next time

Mubarakah

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Fit Muslimah Attendees Carpooling and Hotel Share

If you are attending the Fit Muslimah Summit GA Febraury 13-14, 2010

Post a comment here to connect with other sisters coming from your area and/or share a hotel room and split the already discounted $85 per night rate.

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