Losing weight in Ramadan

How to lose weight in Ramadan

I know what your first thought was while reading the headline, it probably was something like “ Ramadan is meant for spiritual worship, not a tool to lose weight!”.

And you are right, but why not use this holy month to improve your Imaan and also your health?

I will try to help you with this task and make it a little easier for you to lose weight this Ramadan and not gain weight or keep your weight, like you probably did the last few years.

First you need to analyze the reason why you haven’t lost weight the past Ramadan´s.

There are several possible reasons for weight gain in Ramadan, so let’s take them one by one.

1. Delightful Deserts

Traditional Ramadan is the time where mothers, grandmothers and Aunts will spend most of their time in the kitchen to create tasty foods and deserts that we don’t eat very often around the year. It isn’t the purpose of Ramadan to eat special dishes and to indulge in Food but that doesn’t mean you have to completely stay away from these tasty little temptations.

Give yourself a break once a week and eat the desert you like the best (I’d advise you to do that on a Friday as it’s the holiday for Muslim’s so let’s make it special) and stay away from Deserts the other days of the week.

2. Eating only once a day

Another reason for weight gain is if you only eat 1 big Meal while fasting.

Hard to believe, right? Well it is true and I’ll tell you how that works.

If you fast all day your body goes into starvation mood. So if after fasting you eat a huge Iftar and than nothing else for the rest of the night, your body will believe there is a serious crisis going on.

Your Body will store all the Food it gets and turn it into Fat, thinking you might not get Food again very soon.

So the Solution to this is pretty simple. Eat frequently during the Night.

I will give you an example of how you could keep your Diet Plan during the night.

-After the Adhaan (Prayer Call) eat 1- 3 Dates (It’s Sunnah to eat 3 Dates) and drink at least 1 Glass of Water. You can drink some Juice too if you want but still don’t leave out the water, it’s very important for hydration!

- After praying Maghrib you can eat your actual Iftar which ideally should include weather salad or a vegetable dish and soup. Try not to eat fatty dishes or anything including white Fluor.

- You should remember to drink plenty of water during the night and also during praying Taraweeh (Night Prayers in Ramadan).

- After Taraweeh u can eat a little Snack like fresh fruit salad ( use honey with it instead of sugar), Some Nuts or tasty Milkshakes. The Milkshake should be home made with fresh fruits, low fat Milk and less sugar/honey.

-For Suhoor I would suggest u anything that has a lot of Protein, as it will not let you get hungry as fast as a carbohydrate rich dish.

Ideal for Suhoor are Eggs, Fouhl or Yogurt.

The eggs can be turned into Omelette with a lot of healthy vegetables. This is a great dish to serve the whole family without making a huge effort (so you will have more time for worship).

Traditionally a lot of people eat Fouhl (cooked Beans) with Arabic bread for Suhoor. If you want to eat this, try to eat more Fouhl and less bread. Also try to get whole grain bread to eat it with the Fouhl .

3. Unhealthy Drinks

This might not be a problem specific for Ramadan but I will still address it as it’s a big step back for a healthy Life!

Soda drinks are the enemy of any healthy Diet. They contain a lot of sugar and a lot of other ingredients that harm your health.

Did you ever put a piece of meat into a bowl of Pepsi and watch what happens after about 2 days? It will nearly completely disappear. Do you really want to still drink something like this?

Fruit juices are healthy - but only in moderation, which means about 1- 2 glasses a day. And only if you choose juices without added sugar. Most juices you can buy at the store contain a lot of sugar and water and less actual juice.

So ´do something good for your health and buy a high quality juice.

Drink plenty of water! About 1.5 - 3 litre per day ( or in Ramadan per night)

If you are used to drink a lot of Coffee and tea, try to reduce your consume before Ramadan. if you suddenly give them up in Ramadan you can experience head ache from the withdrawal of Caffeine.

If you wish to drink Tea or Coffee in Ramadan limit yourself to 2 cups with less sugar.



4. Sudden drop of Exercise

It is really hard to do your regular training in Ramadan and sometimes it’s even impossible.

My advice on exercise in Ramadan would be to do it right before Maghreb, so you can drink water after it.

Don’t overdo it, 30-45 min of exercise 2-4 times a week is more than enough in Ramadan. The Taraweeh prayer will probably do the rest for your exercise routine.



At last I want to remember you that Ramadan is meant as a reminder of the Poor and Needy.

We are supposed to feel some of their hardships ourselves to sympathize with them and to remember them even long after Ramadan is gone.

It’s not time to indulge in food and find excuses to eat more than ever just because you haven’t eaten the whole day.

So remember yourself of this and improve your health and Imaan in Ramadan and keep it up all Year.

Saif al Malouk and Naran in Pakistan

Lake Saif al Malouk   

                                                  Saif al Malouk in the Winter
Saif al Malouk is definitely one of the Places you should visit if you make a Trip to Pakistan.

Though not a lot of foreign Tourists get the Chance to come here, it is worth the Trouble and I promise you that you will never forget the sight! Most Tourists that travel to Saif al Malouk are Pakistanis and most of them are on their Honeymoon. It is a common Sight to see a Bride in her Wedding Dress posing next to the Lake. Even though the Wedding would have been held in their Hometown, they just love to make some Wedding Pictures here. And seeing the Beauty of the Lake
Who wouldn’t?

The Lake is located at the northern end of the Valley Karghan and can only be reached by Jeep or trekking.
From the small City of Naran it takes about 1 hour to get to Saif al Malouk by Jeep and it definitely is not recommendable for Folks with a Fear of Heights. Trekking takes 2 hours or more depending on your experience but it can be quite dangerous for inexperienced People.
Saif al Malouk is one of the highest located Lakes in Pakistan being about 10, 5000 Feet (3200.40 meters) above sea level.

Surrounded by Mountains this Place is simply magical. The Lake got its Name after a Persian Prince who fell in Love with a Mountain-Fairy at this very Place. It is said that at first he just stole her Clothes to tease her while she was bathing in the river but then he fell deeply in love with the Fairy. Still until today the natives swear, Fairies come down to this Lake once in a while.
Seeing this magical Lake with your own eyes, surely this story won’t be hard to believe!

It is possible to surround the Lake by walking or by riding Horses.
For less money, a Guide will let you ride a Horse while he will guide you around the lake.
The downside to this Adventure is that there are no Restaurants nor Hotels or Guesthouses near the Lake.
Therefore, the only way to visit it is to stay in a Guesthouse or Hotel in Naran and make a daytrip to Lake saif al malouk.

The Guesthouses and Hotels in Naran are a great Way to experience the Pakistani way of Life. In addition, the Restaurants will give you the possibility to purchase Food and take it with you on your day Trip to Saif al Malouk.

　

                                             Magical Reflections at Lake Saif al Malouk

The City of Naran

Before making your Day Trip to Saif al malouk you will have to stop in Naran.
It is 800 Feet above Sea Level and the last Stop before encountering Saif al malouk.
This charming little City will give you the possibility to try authentic Pakistani Cuisine and to purchase some hand made Souvenirs.

The Main Bazaar offers anything from hand woven carpets to hand carved wooden Figures.
The Prices here are very reasonable compared to the Main Cities such as Islamabad or Karachi where you will pay a lot more for these precious Items.
Take a Walk through the Bazaar and let it infatuate your Senses.

The Erum Hotel and the Royal Hotel are the best choices to spend the Night here or to eat something that isn’t traditional Pakistani.

                                            View of the Mountains in Naran

　

　

Copy write for the text and Pictures by S.Erichsen

Tooth Pain... :(

I have a tooth ache since more than a week but 2day it just became too much for me :S
I woke up early in the morning from pain and than had 2 wait 1 hour for the pharmacy to bring some panadol extra. And than after taking it i had 2 wait another 30 min for it 2 work.
I took 2 and it still didnt remove all the pain :(

Alhamdulillah im not in much pain right now
But i guess i really have 2 see a dentist and thats not something im looking forward to.
Experience tells me, dentists always find something 2 work on and always u leave their praxis with pain..
And the dentists here in egypt arent really the best and trustable ones..
Anyway doesnt look like i have a choice if i wanna get rid of this pain. After all waking up every 2nd day from tooth ache isntreally something i want to handle for a long time
Tooth ache is one of the pains i hate the most!
i can handle headache, colds and injurys way better than tooth ache

Damn me and my sugar consume :S
Plzzz make dua for me, im sure ill need it once i go 2 a dentist

Al Azahr Park/ pics

Al Azhar park is one of the best places in cairo

I love to go there and wish it was less crowded and a little closer to us

This pics r mostly in a cafe at the enterance of the park :)

Dont miss 2 visit it if u ever come 2 cairo!

Meee

 

I normally dont post pics of my face here anymore
But i figured nobody gonna recognize me on the streets just by this pic :D
So enjoy, cause there wont be more pics of my face here anytime soon!

The corby sucks but it has atleast a program to play with pictures, Changing the colour, making them black/white or adding effects.
Still i need mobile that is Android and im on thequest to find a good n cheap one.
If i had the money id get samsung galaxy note or S3 :)
Well i wont spend that much money on a mobile.


We have a semi finished Villa in Golf city/ Cairo for sale 2 if anyone is searching for a house with 4 flats and a swimming pool :P

Too hot in cairo

Its hot
Way too hot 4 my liking
Its about 37- 39 C these days and the air is pretty humid
Normally the heat here is dry which is way better than when its humid !
Yesterday was the hottest day so far, and im thankfull its at least a little less hot 2day. At least i dont need to stay in the bedroom all day 2day ( as its the only room with AC)
Im starting to miss taking walks and going out in generell. ´Now its pretty impossible to go out before maghrib cause ill melt in the heat ( im from north germany after all!)
And after maghrib i dont go out alone, seing as egypt isnt the safest of all places these days.

Egypt has elected a new president the last 2 days and iam more than thankfull that its Morsi who won and not Shafiq. for all who have no knowledge whatsover about the politics here, shafiq is from the old regime and runs with mubarak. So if he had won all the effort for democracy would have been useless as he would rule the same way. Morsi belongs to the muslim brotherhood, who isnt the best political party óut there, but well its the lesser of the evil so hopefully he will do a good job.
Thats if the SCAF (military) will give him any power, which is unlikely to happen. They already claimed all power for themselves a few days ago. Well all we can do is pray for egypt and hope it will take a good end..

My mother has been here the last 2 weeks and left yesterday in the early morning.
Im really depressed cause shes gone :(
Rayyan loved to play with his grandma and i finally had someone to talk 2 who really understand me and shares the same views..
Once again ill miss her sooo much and my longing 2 go 2 germany gets more every day.
I guess ill have to fight  a bit so i can finally go germany for a few months ( or longer..)
I love egypt but i need a break and i have been remembered how great it is to have family with u.
My family is definetly the reason id go back to germany for some time.
Plzzz make Dua for me that i can go germany soon with rayyan :)

New Dress :D

Summer Dress

 

Iam in Love with this Dress
The colour is great and since its getting hot in cairo this is the perfect piece 2 wear.
I got it from MAX for 145 LE ( not really cheap..)
The Jacket is from Max too for 150 LE..