[Day 1]

Aslaamu Alaikum Sisters,

Today, Alhumdulillah, I did level 1 exercises and a brisk walk outside around the block to cool off. I drank almost 2 L of lemon water and regular water.
This is what I ate today:
Breakfast: one phulka (whole wheat), daal, chai
Snack: one orange, 10-12 baby carrots
Lunch: one tortilla (roti) wrap with lettuce, tomato, and olives
Supper: 2 whole wheat slices of bread with daal
Dinner: one phulka + mix vegetables salan + salad + chai
Snack: half an orange
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Total Calories consumed: 120, 180, 90, 25, 80,40,100,7, 16, 7, 70, 88, 120,70, 90= 1103 calories

I just googled each food I ate for how many calories it contained. So that is a rough estimate... but very motivating inshallah ! :)

http://caloriecount.about.com/


InshAllah we can do this!
Waslaam
U.
P.S. Please post your progress for Day 1 in the comments to this post OR make a new post.

A.T.A. -> Please post (edit this post) to type here which workout you are doing iA
A.M.I. -> I think you are doing the treadmill walk
S.R. -> you are doing elliptical for 20 min. daily

Honey and Quran-the 2 miracle cures

The benefits of honey don’t just stop at the satisfaction of our taste buds. The powerful healing attributes of honey have long been used to promote health and healing. Both the holy Qur’an and Hadiths refer to honey as a healer of disease. In the Qur’an we read, “And thy Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees and in people’s habitations… there issues from within their bodies a drink of varying colors, wherein is healing for humankind. Verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought.”

Additionally, in Sahih Bukhari ( Collection of  the Prophet's Traditions ) we read that the Prophet, peace be on him, said: “Honey is a remedy for every illness and the Qur’an is a remedy for all illness of the mind, therefore I recommend to you both remedies, the Qur’an and honey.”Honey offers incredible antiseptic, antioxidant and immune boosting properties for our body and health. It not only fights infection and helps tissue healing but also helps reduce inflammation and is often used for treating digestive problems such as indigestion, stomach ulcers and gastroenteritis.

Researchers from around the world are discovering new and exciting medical benefits of honey and other healing items produced in the hive such as propolis, royal jelly and bee pollen.

As in all foods, the health benefits of honey largely depend on its quality. Raw honey, the purest form, comes straight from the comb and is placed into the honey extractor or press. This is unheated, unpasteurized and unprocessed honey. Because it is raw, it tends to have fine textured crystals in it that occur naturally when glucose, one of three main sugars in honey, spontaneously precipitates out of the super saturated honey solution. If your raw honey crystallizes, simply place the container in hot water for 15 minutes and this will help return it to its liquid state.

Most honey found on supermarket shelves today is not raw honey, but rather commercial honey which has been heated and filtered so that it has a smoother, more appealing look to it. When honey is heated and processed in such a way it will maintain a long shelf life but the vitamins and minerals which benefit the body’s immune system are largely destroyed in the process. As such, it is not as nutritious as raw honey.

Honey varieties differ widely in color, texture and flavor. Comb honey, taken straight from the hive, is the rawest and purest form of honey. Its characteristic hexagon-shaped wax cells that are filled with honey can be chewed like gum.

 Liquid honey is the most recognizable and easiest to find. It is pressed from the comb and filtered to remove any particles such as pollen grains, wax or crystals.
Creamed honey, also known as whipped honey, granulated honey or honey fondant, has a smooth and creamy consistency. Cream honey does not drip as does liquid honey, and can be spread easily.

  

The color of honey, largely determined by the floral source of the nectar from which the bees have collected it, is graded into light, amber and dark categories, with darker varieties being more medicinally potent. In general, lighter honey varieties, such as wild flower honey that has been collected from the nectar of several flowers, have a milder flavor. The darker varieties, such as buckwheat honey, collected from the nectar of the flower of the buckwheat grain, have a more robust and stronger flavor. Approximately 23 common varieties of honey include buckwheat, clover, linden, sage, tupelo and wildflowers.

In addition to carbohydrates, honey contains protein (including enzymes) and amino acids, and is high in vitamins and minerals. Some of the vitamins present in honey are B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and certain amino acids. The minerals include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. While the amino acid content is minor, the broad spectrum of approximately 18 essential and nonessential amino acids present in honey is unique and varies by floral source. Also present are polyphenols, that can act as antioxidants and play a role in cleansing the body of free radicals and reactive compounds that can contribute to serious illness such as cancer and heart disease. It is believed that honey contains a similar range of antioxidants that are found in green vegetables and fruit including broccoli, spinach, apples, oranges and strawberries.

To fight high cholesterol, look no farther than buckwheat honey. In their 2004 study, Effect of honey consumption on plasma antioxidant status in human subjects, biochemist H. Gross and his colleagues from the University of California, Davis, examined the blood results of 25 participants who were each given four tablespoons of buckwheat honey daily for 29 days in addition to their regular diets. At given intervals, samples taken from them following honey consumption showed that there was a direct link between the subjects’ honey consumption and the level of polyphenolic antioxidants in their blood. With its high levels of mineral, vitamin and high antioxidant content, a small amount of buckwheat honey added daily could help lower cholesterol by increasing blood levels of protective antioxidant compounds in the body.

People with diabetes often question whether they can take honey. In his book, The Honey Revolution – Restoring the Health of Future Generations, Ron Fessenden MD says that a tablespoon of honey consists of nearly the same carbohydrate content as a cupful of quartered raw apple, and that a diabetic patient can be assured that consuming honey will produce a significantly lower blood sugar response than an equivalent amount of sugar or other glucose-rich starches. The balance of sugars and the presence of multiple co-factors in honey serve to make this natural food quite different from table sugar, high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or other artificial sweeteners.

Dr. Fessenden goes on to say that when consumed regularly over several weeks or months, honey will lower blood sugar and glycated hemogobin levels. He says that generally adding three-to-five tablespoons of honey a day to the diet and eliminating most sugar and HFCS should be recommended to people with Type 2 Diabetes.

For centuries, pure honey has been used in children as a home remedy to help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with the common cold. In the December 2006 study on cough suppressants, Effect of Honey and Dextromethorphan on Nocturnal Cough and Sleep from Penn State College of Medicine researchers compared honey to over-the-counter medicines for symptomatic relief of upper respiratory infection, such as cough, in children 2-to-18-years of age. The conclusion was that honey provided a safe alternative for children. Honey outperformed cough medicine in offering a better night’s sleep and reducing severity of cough. Across the board, parents in the study rated honey as significantly better than cough medications or no treatment for symptomatic relief of their children’s nighttime cough and sleep difficulties.

 

The American Academy of Pediatrics and other children’s health professionals have raised concerns about common over-the-counter remedies, the safety of these cough suppressant products and whether the benefits justify any potential risks from the use of these products in children, especially in children under 2 years of age. Ian Paul MD, M.Sc., a pediatrician, researcher and associate professor of pediatrics at Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Children’s Hospital said, “Additional studies should certainly be considered, but we hope that medical professionals will consider the positive potential of honey as a treatment...” However, do not feed honey-containing products or use honey for infants under one year of age.

In caring for a wound, the American Journal of Dermatology, in Honey in the Treatment of Wounds and Burns says honey applied topically to a wound can promote healing just as well, or in many cases better than conventional ointments and dressings. Its anti-inflammatory properties reduce swelling and pain while its

antibacterial properties prevent infection.

To keep your energy levels up use honey as an excellent source of easily assimilated energy; honey is one of the most effective forms of carbohydrates to ingest just prior to exercise and to replenish your energy levels. The glucose contained in honey is absorbed by the body quickly, giving an immediate energy boost, while the fructose content is absorbed more slowly, providing sustained energy. Honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant compared to other types of sugar, and it appears to be a carbohydrate source that is relatively mild in its effects upon blood sugar compared to other carbohydrate sources.
Honey has been used for thousands of years to help calm a child’s cough, aid in cholesterol relief and digestion and to promote healing of wounds. Honey, in its purest form truly is a head-to-toe cure that will surely be used more and more in the years to come.

http://english.islammessage.com/articledetails.aspx?articleId=1427

LIQUID GOLD....mmmmm.....yyummmmm

50 Miraculous Health Benefits of Honey

HONEY IS A NATURAL ENERGY SOURCE FOR THE HUMAN BODY

1. Honey is easily digested due to the structure of its sugar molecules;

2. It has no cholesterol;

3. Low in calories. Compared to the same amounts of sugar, honey gives 40% less calories to the body;

4. Rapidly diffuses through the blood stream;

5. Very nutritious;

6. Improves sport performance;

7. Prevents fatigue.

HONEY BOOSTS YOUR IMMUNE SYSTEM

8. Honey offers antioxidant protection;

9. Strengthens white blood cells;

10. Promotes blood formation;

11. Cleans the blood, preventing capillary problems;

12. Honey can promote blood sugar control due to its 1:1 ratio of glucose and fructose;

13. It helps intestines and kidneys to function better.

HONEY AS A NATURAL REMEDY FOR HEALTH PROBLEMS

The honey and vinegar remedy consists in one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar and one teaspoon of honey mixed in a full glass of water. There are many varieties of this recipe, including making it as a salad dressing. You can experiment and try different proportions depending on your taste. The honey and vinegar remedy is considered by some as a “cure-it all”, meaning that is good for most health problems.

Another powerful remedy is the honey and cinnamon mixture used as a beverage or paste for various health problems.

14. The apple cider vinegar and honey treatment may help in curing food poisoning;

15. Honey and vinegar can be beneficial in the case of heat exhaustion;

16. Honey and vinegar can help in the case of heartburn;

17. The same treatment can help cure ailments such as brittle nails;

18. Honey and vinegar can help lowering blood pressure;

19. Honey and apple cider vinegar can help cure eczema;

20. Honey for curing arthritis. Honey can be used in combination with cinnamon or vinegar to relieve or

even cure arthritis. Recent studies have shown that even the most sever cases can be cured by taking one tablespoon of honey and half a teaspoon of cinnamon daily before breakfast;

21. Honey for reducing cholesterol. Honey can help reduce cholesterol if mixed with cinnamon in tea or hot water as well as mixed with apple cider;

22. Honey for toothache. Drinking the honey and vinegar beverage or applying a honey and cinnamon paste on the aching tooth may help relieve the pain;

23. Honey for bad breath. Taking honey mixed with vinegar or with cinnamon helps to prevent bad breath;

24. Honey promotes longevity. By regularly drinking tea made with honey and cinnamon, you’ll slow down the aging process. The honey and vinegar recipe can also help prevent premature aging;

25. Honey can help cure obesity. Taken both mixed with vinegar or cinnamon, honey can help reduce weight;

26. Honey for curing colds. Honey and cinnamon can help cure colds;

27. Honey can help cure infertility. Recent studies have shown that taking honey and cinnamon can be beneficial to the reproductive system to both men and women;

28. Together with cinnamon, honey can also help against insect bites;

29. Honey can help cure bladder infection by taking it mixed with cinnamon in hot water.

30. Honey and cinnamon can help against indigestion;

31. The hibernation diet which consists in taking one or two spoons of honey before bedtime can help us lose weight and sleep better;

32. The honey and lemon diet can also help you lose weight. Take one teaspoon of honey, two teaspoons of lemon juice and mix them into a glass of warm water. Take this drink every morning before breakfast or after a large meal to detoxify your body;

33. Honey can help cure children’s night cough;

34. Honey may be effective in treating ulcers;

35. Honey can help treat diarrhea, vomiting or upset stomachs by rehydrating the body;

36. Honey can help cure a sore throat;

37. Honey can help healing of cuts and burns. Its antibacterial properties help keep the wounds clean and prevent infection. It also promotes healing and tissue regeneration by absorbing moisture from the air.

HONEY FOR BEAUTY AND SKIN HEALTH

38. Honey for hair loss. Honey is known to rejuvenate the scalp and encourage hair growth in time. One traditional remedy for hair loss is applying a paste made of hot olive oil, one tablespoon of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and leaving it on for 15 – 20 minutes;

39. Honey with cinnamon can help against pimples;

40. Honey’s anti-bacterial properties can be used against acne;

41. Its moisturizing effects can be very beneficial to the skin;

42. It can protect the skin from the effects of certain rays of sunlight;

43. Honey can be used as a cleansing agent in order to absorb impurities from the face pores.

OTHER HEALTH RELATED BENEFITS OF HONEY

44. Honey can be used as a remedy for hangovers. You can use the following recipe to get over a hangover: 15 ml of honey, 70 ml of natural yogurt and 80 ml of orange juice;

45. Honey can help cure allergies. By eating local honey made from pollen found in flowers in your area, you can reduce your allergies. This is due to the fact that honey has small amounts of pollen in it, not enough to cause a negative reaction but enough to make your body accommodate to it. You can also use this for pets;

46. Honey and milk can help improve digestion;

47. Honey can help against insomnia. A glass of milk with honey will help you sleep better;

48. Honey can help prevent cancer. Honey has anti-carcinogen and anti-tumor properties;

49. Some researches suggest that, taken in correct amounts, honey can be a better option then artificial sweeteners for people suffering from diabetes;

50. Honey is the only natural sweetener with healing effects.

http://hiummah.com/forum/7-lifestyle-and-social-issues/7-50-miraculous-health-benefits-of-honey

Water for Weight Loss

 

Simple formula

Water has NO calories and fills up the stomach, thereby making you less hungry.

Let's drink one glass water before every meal inshAllah.

and 8-10 glasses of water per day! inshAllah

It clears up skin, makes you feel fresh, and burns calories throughout the day! IA

 

Cabbage Vegetable Soup ... YUMMMMMYYYY

Cabbage- Vegetable Soup

This really helps in weight loss, is very healthy, and makes you full. It can be used two to three times a day with other meals. I do not recommend the famous cabbage soup diet alone. Eat a variety of foods and meals.

I am just suggesting it because it is tasty, makes you feel great and it does help lose weight. You can make it in many different ways and add any veggies you prefer.

I will make a big pot of it today and it will last me two weeks inshallah.  I am adding onions, tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, bell pepper, and corn. In spices, I will add lemon juice, salt, black pepper, ginger/garlic, and maybe a pinch of red pepper. I don't think I will add green peas and celery. It's a personal preference... what ever you would like to munch on iA.

Here is a good recipe.

waslaam

Goal - Plan = Wish and Goal + Plan = Progress

Morning Drink: Honey + warm water

Aslaamu alaikum

I couldn't find the hadith but I heard that it is sunnah to have honey + warm water every morning (Allahu 'Alam).
Well, I have read so many benefits of lemon water and honey water for weight loss.

Let us substitute sugar with honey in our chai, and any other drinks/foods. It is low on the hypoglycemic index and it can aid in weight loss. read more here.

How to make Honey Water

A Cocktail of Honey, Cinnamon & Lemon Will Help Melt Your Pounds Away

 

[Two Week Challenge] To lose 10 pounds

TWO WEEK CHALLENGE

InshAllah we will start off slow, to make it a habit/routine to exercise.

In this first challenge on our Wazan Kam Journey, we will create a SMART goal.

A SMART GOAL:
S- Specific
M- Measurable
A- Achievable
R- Realistic
T- Timely

The reason we failed before was because going from a 'low-level of activity lifestyle', we were planning for 60 minutes right away. That goal was not realistic (didn't fit most of our schedules), and  it was not achievable (a big leap from zero to sixty min.!).

So, this time around inshAllah we will be doing a SMART GOAL. Which is going to be achievable inshAllah.


THE TWO WEEK CHALLENGE

The goal is to lose anywhere from 5-10 pounds in two weeks inshallah. This is achievable inshAllah with clean eating and exercise.

Here's how we will do it inshallah:

Set yourself a time that will fit your daily routine. Maybe after you put the kids to sleep, early morning after fajr, in the day time after asr, after school/work, etc..... whenever it is possible for YOU to exercise inshallah.

In the comments below, please comment on what time you chose for yourself..so we can all keep each other accountable inshallah. Answer with your initials.

after the two week challenge goals are met, we will try another challenge inshallah. 

SPECIFIC - The 30 Day Level 1 (These are specific exercises and are only 20 min. in duration)
MEASURABLE - 30 day level 1 consists of specific exercises for 30 seconds-60 seconds per exercise
ACHIEVABLE - to start of slow, we'll do one level (20 min) because last time, the 60 min seemed overwhelming and unachievable.... and some of us couldn't fit it in our schedules! If you want, you may do all 3 levels per day inshallah (for better results). GOAL is to only lose 5 to 10 pounds in 2 weeks! very achievable iA.
REALISTIC - I think this goal is realistic this time inshAllah. only 20 minutes of basic do-able exercises for 2 weeks only!?
TIMELY- It is a timely goal...20 minutes per day. Each exercise is only 30-60 seconds. and only 2 weeks to see results inshAllah.  Also, goal is to lose anywhere from 5 to 10 pounds.

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Besides the workout, We will eat clean. That means we will cut out all "whites" from our diet for two weeks inshAllah. That means no pasta, pizza, rice, breads, fried foods, potatoes, SUGAR etc.
You can eat whole grain, whole wheat bread, roti, oats (daliya).
No store-bought juices...you may have fresh homemade fruit juices!

Eat every 2-3 hours. Small meals. Clean meals. No fat or heavy meals.  

LOTS OF WATER- 8 glasses per day

With this clean eating, inshallah we can do this. To be more accountable... we will post every day on the blog under the headings..[Day 1] Day 2...etc..  what we ate that day and which exercises we did ia.

Please reply to this post, by stating if you agree with the plan inshAllah. We can start today! iA

WA MA TAWFEEQI ILLA BILLAH.
And in Allah Alone is my success!

Waslaam
may Allah swt assist us in our healthy weight loss goal. ameen sum ameen
U.

7 steps to make exercise a habit

Very important...from Productive Muslim:

7 Steps to Develop an exercise habit in 30 days

Wazan Kam Totkay

Motivation

Aslaamu Alaikum WRWB

Just want to post up some beneficial links.

Khaatam diet - Some good information on Khaatam-ul-ambiyaa's (saw) diet - the sunnah food. Let's be motivated to eat more sunnah foods inshallah

Productive Muslim - Work out motivation. It really motivates me to lose weight inshallah

My Body My Amanah- motivation to take care of our body like an amanah from Allah!

Ramadan Workout - Tips and tricks for being consistent and have a plan for working out

Regular Exercise = Sunnah

Regular Exercise is a Sunnah

THIS IS OUR MOTIVATION INSHALLAH. 

We will do daily physical exercise to follow the Sunnah and earn rewards from Allah SWT! iA

Read more:

Sunnah Of Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H)-Doing Regular Exercise For Being Fit

The Prophet (s) and exercise

Health Guidelines from the Quran and Sunnah

Intention + Plan + Consistency = Goal

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Most Gracious

Intention is the first step to any goal. We got that down Alhumdulillah. We all want to lose weight. The second step is a plan. A goal without a plan is just a wish.

If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. We have two problems. We never planned practically, or we planned but didn't follow through. So, this blog is a way to be consistent, persistent, and to carry through to our goals of weight loss inshAllah. It is our Wazan Kam Journey inshAllah. 

May Allah swt make it successful. We make our intentions pure, as of now, that we are purely and sincerely going to lose weight and get rid of the fat inshAllah, for the Sake of Allah alone. Being fit and healthy is sunnah! We will follow this sunnah inshAllah. 

Waslaam

U.