What I eat in a day+Morning Routine!

June 27, 2019 trulyraisa7 Comments

Hello Everyone! I’ve seen a lot of videos of “What I eat in a day” on Youtube and it seemed pretty cool so I wanted to give it a go! Shall we begin?

So my eating pattern has been kind of messed up because of work so I skip meals often! On a day when I am not working I usually eat a big breakfast just because I can! Today I ate granola and yoghurt bowl, with a plate of mango slices after and a cup of coffee! But when I work I have to wake up at 4am to get ready for my 6am shift and I usually take some lunch with me. Like actual lunch for example, I made egg fried rice and chicken the other day but because I get my breaks in the morning that becomes my breakfast! And then I like to run after work so I skip lunch.

On a day off work I like to be creative with lunch! I’m always experimenting with food and different recipes I find on the internet. However today I didn’t have time so I ate a chicken bagel with some coleslaw. As I mentioned before, when I work I usually don’t eat lunch when I come back from work so I don’t have an example for that.

Dinner is a totally diverse and cultural part of my diet. For anyone that didn’t know I my parents are from Pakistan so naturally my dad is the best cook in the house! Sometimes we eat rice or we eat, as people would like to call it chappati or roti and honestly I prefer rice better! I’m a rice kind of girl 🙂 So biryani is definitely going to be top on my list of favourite foods! I also love to eat spicy foods!

Image result for biryani — Looks delicious, does it not? I’ve suddenly become hungry!

Morning Routine!

So the truth about my morning routine is that….well…. I don’t have one! It’s kind of hard to explain but these days I am either working or at home and when I work I have to leave my house at 5am so I’m awake at 4am! However, on a day off I like to make the most of my mornings! I wake up around half seven or 8 in the morning and either run on the treadmill or these days I like to do Yoga or Pilates so my morning is filled with exercise! Once I have freshened up, I don’t really have any products I like to use because I’ve never had any major skin problems, but if there is any skin care products that you recommend then please let me know in the comments section below! I would love to try some new facial products but have never had any recommendations so if there is any products that you guys think is a good product to use in the morning then please let me know!

After all of that I then eat my breakfast which is usually something light but filling because by that time I am so hungry! Then I spend the rest of the day running errands with my dad, or baking, or cleaning, so just average things to get me through the day!

So that’s all I had for today! It wasn’t a very long blog post and I don’t have much of a morning routine, but that is something I am working on in the future! If you have a special morning routine then let me know in the comments below! Who knows, I might just be inspired?!

-Yours Truly, Raisa

Meal Prep #2

June 17, 2019August 13, 2019 trulyraisa2 Comments

Hello everyone! I’m back this week with a post that I have previously done in the past! If any of you don’t know I did a ‘Perfect Ingredients for Meal Prep” blog post a while ago so scroll down more on the nutriton page and you should find it there! Moving on to this post, shall we begin?

In the previous meal prep post I talked about ingredients that would be perfect for meal prep but this time I have a few ideas of meals that would be easy to cook and take with you for lunch for work or school!

Sticky Rice with chilli chicken- I never tried sticky rice before but one of my university friends taught me how she makes it and for those of you who might not know you might not find this very hygienic but it’s not so bad. The trick to sticky rice is not to wash the rice, and this may sound unhygienic but you’re essentially going to be boiling the rice and any bacteria or dirt would be killed in boiling water. FUN FACT: In the Middle Ages when medicine wasn’t so advanced surgeons would disinfect their equipment by boiling them and if that worked for the equipment then surely for rice it should be fine! ( Just clarifying my case in case anyone opposes!) Regardless whether you want sticky rice or just normal rice chilli chicken could be a good option to go along with it! And this is literally boneless chicken covered in chilli sauce so it’s almost effortless to make!

Mixed Salad bowl- If you’re like me and like to take salads to work then this could work for you! Salads are very easy to make and quick too so you can literally throw any vegetables in a box and call it a salad! What I would recommend is the basics some cucumbers, carrots, lettuce, mozzarella chopped into cubes, cherry tomatoes, couscous and if you wanted instead of mozarella you could have some grilled chicken on the side! For salad dressing put two tablespoons of olive oil with one table spoon of vinegar and two tablespoons of lemon juice (you could add more if you like) and season with herbs or store bought salad herbs. I don’t know any salad herb dressings that you could find in London because we always by ours when we visit Germany and theirs is delicious! But you could add mixed herbs to the dressing and it should give a similar if not the same taste.

Pesto prawn pasta with salad- I remember going to Prezzo restaurant once and eating this! It was so delicious so I thought it would be a good lunch idea! I’ve never cooked pesto sauce before but everyday is a new day to learn something new right? Well mixing pesto sauce with pasta and some prawns is absolutely delicious! In the restaurant they served it with a small bowl of salad but it is your choice if you would add salad or not?

Grilled Salmon and rice- If you’re a seafood lover then this is the one for you! It’s very quick and easy to grill a piece of salmon and boil some rice to eat together! I would top it with some green beans or maybe asparagus? I’m not sure about asparagus I’ve never ate it but it’s a vegetable that is packed with nutrients such as folate as well as vitamins A,C,E and K!

Classic stir fry: Another idea for a meal that is easy to cook is cooking a classic stir fry. sauté some of your favourite vegetables and flavour them with soy sauce, I like to use red chilli powder and mixed herbs as the base ingredients and if you want to make it add any extra flavours or spices you’re welcome to do so but those are my base ingredients when I cook stir fry. If you want to add chicken to it then you can do so but maybe try to add something different like prawns etc.

That’s all I had for today, I hope you enjoyed it. Until next time…

-Yours Truly, Raisa

How to avoid tempting foods.

June 9, 2019 trulyraisa2 Comments

Hey guys! I’m back again with another blog post! This post is dedicated for anyone who is following a diet or even have to avoid certain foods for health or other personal reasons. Shall we begin?

This blog post is something that I often go through or have been through. I’m very sensitive about my weight and appearance but I love to eat (Who doesn’t?). Because of that it’s become a dilemma for me to restrict myself from certain foods. I learned a few things in the past and I’m still learning so I hope they will be useful to you whenever you shall need it!

Tip number 1: Avoid!

If you have a certain food or foods you know is bad for your health then avoid the food completely. Don’t bring that food into your home or even into your sight. If it’s in front of you, you’re more likely to be tempted to pick it up and eat it.

Tip number 2: Alternative.

Let’s say you’re allergic to a food. But it’s something you feel tempted to eat because it’s a popular food, then the best thing is to find an example. Some popular examples could be that people may be allergic to cow’s milk and alternatives could be soy milk, or almond milk etc. Another popular allergy is a gluten allergy which is a protein present in all types of wheat and it could be hard to avoid but recently there are products which are gluten free alternatives. So with advanced food technology in this modern world it is easy to find alternatives to foods you want to restrict.

Tip number 3: Exercise.

This is for people who are restricting tempting foods on a basis that they are on a diet and may want to lose weight. The best thing when having a restricting diet is, to exercise as much as you eat. If you exercise more than you eat you’re more likely to tire your body from little energy from foods and if you eat more than you exercise then you’re exercise would seem pointless because all the calories you are trying to burn you are just putting them back up by eating more and you have a higher total energy intake over energy expenditure. So try to balance eating and exercising as one.

Tip number 4: Communication.

Communication could play a role if you are trying to set yourself goals and are sensitive about what you eat. Maybe try talking to someone and try finding an alternative of a food or a way to avoid foods that could be bad for your health. A dietitian or nutritionist would be best because they can set up a whole diet plan for you and as long as you stick to that it would be beneficial for you.

So that’s all the tips I had really. They’re kind of basic tips to help you with your diet or a problem with allergies. I hope you found this useful! Till next time…

-Yours Truly, Raisa

Eid Lookbook!

May 27, 2019May 25, 2019 trulyraisaLeave a comment

Hello everyone! Today I’m here with a blog post that’s a little different to what I usually talk about and that’s fashion. Like every girl, I love putting outfits together and styling clothes together, but I’ve never thought of blogging it before. I really enjoyed writing my last post where I found recipes for a perfect iftar or suhoor and I wanted to try it again! In this post, I will be recommending some Eid outfits that I find so, sit back and enjoy! Shall we begin?

I’m just going to jump straight in and recommend my first outfit. This is a dark red chiffon jumpsuit with a small cape on the back to give it the extra flair of modesty. I really like the idea of the cape, because if you’re like me and a bit sensitive when it comes to clothing like jumpsuits then this is perfect for you!

I found this piece from Inayah for £129.99. And to me for someone who is still a student it does come across as expensive but it does look worth it! Rich Berry Sadie Jumpsuit.

This next dress was something that caught my eye as I was scrolling. It’s a pretty powder pink maxi dress that is embroidered with lace and the sleeves has laced ruffle cuffs to it. This dress was really pretty and it already has a touch of elegance with the lace that doesn’t overdo the look.

This dress is also from Inayah and it is for £99.99. Powder Pink Ruffle Lace Maxi Dress.

Following from this previous item, I also found another lace dress and while the previous dress seems to go for a more pretty and naive look this dress goes for a more bold approach. It’s a maroon dress and fully lace. It is a little longer and touches the ground when it is worn but I think it makes this dress all the more bold and beautiful.

This is from Modanisa for £46. Maroon Fully Lined Evening Dress.

I know I’m mostly picking out dresses but as this is for Eid it only seems appropriate! Floral dresses are always a great choice when going for occasional wear. This next dress is a floral dress accomapanied with a waist belt and billowing sleeves.

This dress is from Hijab House for $149.99. This is in Autralian dollars as this is where this brand originates from. Printed Annalise Dress.

If you want to dress in something casual but still smart and classy this Eid then this next piece is for you. This is a Blue waist top with balloon sleeves and a waist belt that makes the whole look classy. This would be perfect paired with white trousers or jeans as shown in the picture.

This top is also from Hijab House for $69.99 in Australian Dollars. Blue Waist Top.

That’s all I had for this lookbook! I hope you were inspired and best of luck to everyone still shopping for Eid Outfits!

-Yours Truly, Raisa

Iftar and Suhoor ideas.

May 25, 2019July 3, 2019 trulyraisa2 Comments

Hello everyone! Welcome back to my blog, its been a little bit of a while but I am back! Also wanted to wish all my fellow Muslim followers a happy Ramadhan! Which brings me on to today’s topic! Some ideas for iftar and suhoor!! Shall we begin?

So before we begin, I would like to point out that most of these ideas I have found from the internet or through cooking apps. But I will let you know where I found these recipes and ideas from! Let’s begin with Suhoor…

Suhoor

Personally, I’m always full from iftar so my suhoor doesn’t have anything special. I usually eat cereal with a bowl of yoghurt after or a sandwich. But I always stumble across some suhoor recipe or idea on instagram that I really want to try but never end up making. I swear I’m not lazy I’m genuinely tired at that time!

Eggs generally tend to be a good suhoor idea whether it is scrambled or fried egg or even boiled it is a good idea to have eggs accompanied with something. I had scrambled eggs with cherry tomatoes and a slice of toast for suhoor once and I didn’t feel hungry all day!

Oats is also another good idea! For the beginning of Ramadhan I used to eat granola with yoghurt literally every suhoor, it’s a lightweight but filling alternative for someone who maybe had a heavy iftar earlier and feel like their stomach’s going to burst with so much food! I’ve also seen some blogs recommending overnight oats but I’ve never tried it myself, I will put a link to a recipe! Overnight Oats Recipe.

Pancakes are also a great way to go! You can decorate these pancakes any way you can,

Fluffy-Pancakes-New-CMS — These pancakes look so good, can someone make them for me?!

maybe add a few strawberries or blueberries. I know the way we make pancakes in the UK is different to the way they make it in America, but if you would like something filling maybe try the American style of pancakes accompanied with some fruits! Buttermilk Blueberry Pancakes.

Iftar:

For iftar my family generally eat quite heavy (even though it’s not on purpose!) We tried to find healthy alternatives but they didn’t last very long! So, instead of sharing our failed attampts at eating something aesthetically healthy I will share with some you some more recipes that I found would be pretty cool iftar ideas!

Salads are one of the things I really wanted to eat more of this Ramadhan, but it didn’t work out, nevertheless I found a delicious and healthy salad bowl you could try! Lebanese Fattoush Salad. This salad contains Fattoush which is a mediterranean fried bread salas that would be useful as a starter or even a main course!

Another recipe I found was another Lebanese dish which is called Shish Tawook and it is

Shish-Tawook-Lebanese-Chicken-Skewers-6932.21 — Shish Tawook.

basically grilled chicken skewers, the photo of it looked delicious so I thought I would share it with you guys! Shish Tawook Recipe.

Another recipe I found to be a delicious and healthy iftar idea is Grilled Chicken Burrito Bowl. This is perfect for anyone who is a burrito lover. All you have to do is add your favourite burrito ingredients in a bowl and whip up a bash of quinoa and you’re good to go! It’s time efficient too, If you’re in a rush to cook something special! Grilled Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl.

That’s all I had for today! If you have any special Ramadhan ideas for Suhoor or Iftar then comment down below! I hope you enjoyed today’s delicious special post!

-Yours Truly, Raisa

Nutrition Do’s and Don’ts

April 7, 2019May 25, 2019 trulyraisaLeave a comment

Hello! Welcome back to another post! I took a while to post this one, because I couldn’t figure out what to blog about next! This week I decided to come back with a different style of post, this is my own kind of “rules” you could say that I live by and wanted to share with you all! Shall we begin?

Nutrition Do’s

So things that I think should be essential if you’re a person that is very conscious about what you eat and about exercising and sport, basically if you have a passion for nutrition. I think it’s important to be physically active! Physical Activity comes hand in hand with nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, it can be anything as long you are moving your body enough. I think the equation we learned in class was that in order to lose weight or keep a balanced weight then your energy intake should be the same as your energy expenditure. What this means is that you gain energy from the food you eat (calories) and you should be expending the same amount and not eating more and moving less or moving more and eating less. So you can see why physical activity and nutrition go hand in hand.

Another thing, that is a do is that you should be eating a balanced diet. Try to include carbohydrates and proteins as well as fat in your diet. I think some people try to look for things that are fat free in super markets and sometimes that’s okay but it’s best to keep in mind that if it is less in fat it could be higher in sugar and sugar is a high cause for obesity. Just try to eat a wide variety of foods, it can also be boring to just keep eating the same thing day in and day out. Explore more with your foods!

Nutrition Don’ts:

I believe food is art. We have our art lovers out there who enjoy their paintings and photography and its all a thing about visual pleasure and I know that people enjoy seeing food that is presented in the most aesthetic way like this.

Maybe try looking at food in that way and maybe you will learn to enjoy it more and not feel so pressured to limit what you eat. Like that day I was feeling good so I put a tad too much Parmesan cheese on my pasta! It’s the little treats you give yourself every so often, don’t turn it into a whole “cheat day”. Its just an unhealthy mind set. I really dislike the whole concept of a “cheat day”. It limits what you eat for a while and then you have one day where you lash out on food and sometimes it can be hard to go back into routine of limiting what you eat. Its okay to sometimes have that chocolate croissant or that bag of crisps!

Another thing I think is good is not skipping out on meals. Absolutely do not skip any meals, make sure you’re eating well and it’s okay if one day you’re not really in the mood to have breakfast, maybe have a slice of toast with coffee or tea? Just make sure you eat something for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Make sure you’re not skipping out any meals, okay?

Anyway, that’s all I really had for today. As I said before, I found it a little difficult about what to talk about this week, so if you have any suggestions, please let me know in the comments below!

-Yours Truly, Raisa

Relationship advice: How to treat your food.

March 10, 2019August 2, 2019 trulyraisaLeave a comment

Hello! Today I am going to be giving you some relationship advice…………with food! No, I don’t think I’m in any position to give any relationship advice and well I don’t want to. So lets talk about food! I know I blog less frequently than before but I am going to try an post at least every weekend, its just that I have to think and plan about what I want to discuss beforehand if you guys have any topics you want me to discuss then let me know below! Anyway, Shall we begin?

Breaking the stereotypes:

So first I want to talk to you about nutrition and all the stereotypes that are out there. Starting with the basics, I want to talk about that you think when I throw the words nutrition and physical activity at you. Most of you would probably associate these words with eating healthy right? Like the whole celery juice frenzy that is going around right now? You’d probably think salads and all things green? Well you’re halfway there, but only half way. You see there are always two sides to the spectrum and with nutrition you always have to be in the middle. You always have to be balancing your foods, yes I mean you can indulge in that doughnut you always pass by in that window shop, but maybe not everyday. And sometimes its good to have a piece of chocolate or even have a night out with your friends where you don’t have to be hesitant about what you eat for one night.

Now, I’m not saying everyday could be a cheat day, in fact I don’t even believe in cheat days. I think that nutrition and eating healthy is all about balance. Balance should be the first thing that comes into your mind. How are you going to balance what you eat, it doesn’t always have to that celery juice in the morning and that salad for lunch and dinner and it doesn’t always have to be that chocolate doughnut every day with a nice burger from McDonalds at lunch everyday. There is an endless possibility of foods out there, go an indulge your self with a wide variety, don’t limit yourself.

Building a relationship with food:

Now you may think that I and some other nutritionists that talk about relationships with food, must have gone mad. But building a relationship with food is hard. One one side of the coin we have people who are very self-conscious about what they eat and could be suffering things like bulimia and anorexia nervosa and they don’t have a good relationship with food. On the other side, we have people who may be obese and eat a lot as if it was an addiction and they’re fighting their own battles with food.

This is why I think it’s good to build a good relationship with what you eat. Sometimes it’s healthy to eat chocolate bar as long as it is not so often as everyday or very frequently, we have to give ourselves a reward sometimes, maybe we had a hard day at work today or what if you’re feeling depressed that day. At the same time I am also saying that we should also be eating foods that are healthy for us, and that are packed with the nutrients that we need.

If you may be having trouble trying to find a way to measure if you are eating a balanced diet then maybe try some phone apps or something online, there are many apps that can tell you the nutrient and how many calories a food item may contain and that could be enough to tell you that you are eating a balanced diet.

I think that is good to have a little bit of everything on your plate, in fact its the most healthiest form of a diet.

What do you guys think? How is your relationship with food? Good I hope! Let me know in the comments below!

-Yours Truly, Raisa

Diet: What does it really mean?

February 26, 2019 trulyraisa2 Comments

Hello everyone! I am a little sleep deprived and feeling a little ill but still back with another blog post! This is a post I have been wanting to do for some time, and it’s more opinion based although diets in general are very popular and you probably hear about a new crazy diet every now and then that suggests some crazy fanatic idea that is never usually backed up by any scientific evidence. So, shall we begin?

Definition:

So, before actually going on to talk about all the different kind of crazy diets out there in the media, I wanted to talk about the definition of the word diet, or rather my own definition of the word diet. So, diet to most people is associated with restricting and limiting what you eat in order to lose weight and losing weight becomes their main goal. BUT…to me diet is literally just what you eat. I absolutely detest when people say to me “Oh, you’re eating less because you’re.” No ma’am I am eating less because I want to. In my dictionary there is no word called “dieting” or “being on a diet”. Diet is just what you eat, whether it is a balanced diet or a bad one thats completely up to you.

Do diets really work?

There are million different diets out there, each one more insane than the last and behind every diet there is a celebrity or someone famous claiming this diet to be a miracle worker. I’m sure you have all heard of crazy diets like the Keto diet, Atkins Diet, Weight Watchers diet, there’s loads. But if you search about if these diets really work and you go and find some actual studies on it and not just another unsupported website then you will find that the majority of these diets work….and then after people have lost weight 3 months down they end up back to where they were before.

Now you’re going to think if diets dont really work then how can I lose weight? Well lifestyle is your answer, take care of what you eat and try to make sure it is balanced and try to get more exercise in on a daily basis. If you change your lifestyle I’m sure you’ll see a difference than following people who get paid to feed you crap about stupid diets.

That’s all from me, I hope you had a great day! Till next time…

-Yours Truly Raisa

The Secret Life of Childhood Obesity.

February 8, 2019February 8, 2019 trulyraisaLeave a comment

Hey guys! I’m back with another post! Today’s topic is Childhood Obesity and is a topic I am particularly interested in so I thought I would share some of my thoughts on it and hopefully start up a debate on the increasing amounts of childhood obesity in UK. Shall we begin?

The reason I decided to talk about this topic was because I was discussing it with my friends one day. In the UK there is rising levels of obesity in childhood and it has started to become a national worry. There are so many things that are causing this and these are what I think are the reasons people can’t clearly see.

One reason that we may not realise that is a cause is that there is lack of education about nutrition, eating a balanced diet and the importance of it. Instead children have very few P.E lessons in school a week. Some kids may save their lunch money and don’t eat at school and instead spend it at the local fast food after school . Believe me when I tell you that after school, the masses of children that are either at the local fast foods or at a local shop buying nothing but unhealthy food is insane.

Following up on the after school frenzy, parents give their children pocket money and 90% of their money goes into the unhealthy food they eat after school. The reason why parents may not know about this is because most children in high school come home on their own after school, and on the way back they may go to the local shop with their friends picking up whatever unhealthy food they can see.

I know, I’ve seen it myself.

Parents may also not recognise their child as being overweight or obese and just may find it offensive when you tell them their child is overweight. Of course a parent’s love for a child blinds them in different ways and no one is at fault about that, but unfortunately it is also a factor.

So, these are not all the reasons why there is a rise in childhood obesity, because I only wanted to share with you all my view on the secret side of childhood obesity and things parents or teachers may miss everyday. These issues need to be dealt with not only in the UK but worldwide and that will only happen when we decide to open our eyes to what’s in front of us and try to think objectively about our new generation. I for one, want them to be a fit and healthy generation who may live long rather than fall prey to the tragedy of things that come after obesity.

That’s all I had for today. I know it was a very very different type of blog post than what I usually do but it is an issue I am passionate about solving in the future one day. With that being said, I hope you all have an amazing day!

-Yours Truly, Raisa

Update: A day in the life of me!

January 25, 2019May 13, 2019 trulyraisaLeave a comment

Hello! I am back with another blog post! Everytime I sat down and thought about what to blog about my brain would just go blank so it took me some time to come back with another blog post! I realised I talk a lot about nutrition but I have never shared my own experience and how I go to attempt to maintain a healthy lifestyle (small emphasis on attempt) Today I’m coming all out and being honest! So, shall we begin?

My everyday diet:

Firstly, I’m going to discuss my diet. I wouldnt say that I had the most healthy diet, I dont think everyone can say that they have a fully healthy diet so I dont think I’m alone. To be completely honest I think we throw around and emphasise the idea of eating ‘healthy’ and it could all just be a myth. Just think about it, in nutrition we are taught that we need a little bit of everything including carbs and fats and proteins and all our vitamins and minerals. We have the idea of carbs and fats that we shouldnt be eating them and people tend to avoid fatty foods and foods that are high in carbs. But in reality, we also need everything to be able to have a balanced diet and to be able to survive.

Now going back to my diet, it is a little complicated when talking about my diet because I am British Pakistani and in my home we eat Pakistani food as a family during the evenings, so I find it hard to add into a food diary without having to explain what ingredients are used in a certain dish. Some Pakistani’s reading this might know the struggle as we put a lot of different ingredients and spices into our food. This is why its hard to differentiate if I am eating healthy or not.

Physical Activity:

Physical activity seems to come hand in hand with diet. When we eat we are consumign a lot of energy in our food and there should be a balance of how much energy is being input in our bodies (how many calories we are eating) and how much energy we are expending (expending energyh through physical activity).

I wouldn’t say that I have an intense level of physical activity, however because of my busy schedule I know that I’m not always sitting still! My daily routine doesnt leave me any time to go to a gym or go running so, whenever I know that I dont have to go into work and I also know that I have an afternoon class at university, I make sure to be up early and doing at least 30 minutes of exercise. Adding that on top of the amount of walking I have to do to get to university and also doing household chores, I woud say my physical activity level isn’t too bad but it could definitely be improved!

As long as you are eating a balanced diet and also completing some form of physical activity during the day you can happily pat yourself on the back and say that you are leading somewhat of a healthy lifestyle!

That’s all from me for now, but if you do have any ideas about what I should blog about next, then please let me know in the comments below!

-Yours Truly, Raisa