For the Boring Salad Days

Posted: July 28, 2013 in Food, Ramadan
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Not a lot to say but I show a quick way to make a tasty salad for those days you just don’t have time. Salads can be great, but watch the dressing!

For Sahoor

Since I vowed never to eat eggs again, I went a different route. I ate a bunch of random things to fill me up. I had a protein shake, then moved on to left over chicken from the night before, and lastly an apple and peach. I drank 3 or 4 glasses of water and called it a morning. The chicken was no easy thing to eat that early in the morning though. They were leftovers that I warmed up. Not the easiest thing to chew and digest at 4am. Mission wake up earlier to make something better starts now. I guess Mission go to sleep earlier should begin before that.

For Iftar

A couple of days ago I talked about showing everyone quick ways to eat delicious Paleo meals without eating boring salads every day. I do however want to show a quick way to make a good tasting salad for those days that you are too busy to make something else.

  • a layer of lettuce
  • half of a cucumber, sliced
  • 1 banana pepper
  • hand full of olives, sliced
  • 1 small carrot, diced
  • 1/2 tomato, sliced
  • any left over meat. I used extra ground beef that I had left over from taco night
  • Paleo salad dressing. Keyword Paleo, don’t let me catch you dousing it with Kraft Ranch.

Lay down a layer of lettuce in a wide bowl. Then, add in all of the ingredients, leaving the meat for the end. Do your self a favor and make it look pretty. It makes eating a salad a little more enjoyable. I added Tessemae’s zesty ranch dressing all over it. It tasted great and the greens really filled me up.

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See, looks pretty, tasted good, and it took all of 5 minutes to make it. Where people usually go wrong with salads is the dressing. There really is no point in wasting a meal on a salad if you plan on letting it swim in high caloric, fat enriched, processed dressing.

Be wise and stay Paleo my friends.

Say it isn’t so

Posted: July 27, 2013 in Food, Ramadan
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Yesterday I got lazy and creative at the same time. I didn’t have enough time to cook a full dinner so I stopped by Chipotle to pick up a salad bowl. Wait a minute, Chipotle?? The place everyone thought was healthy until calorie and fat calculators broke down the truth of what goes into a burrito? Or how they have slowly started to admit that their stuff may not be as natural as it may seem. For those who don’t know what I’m talking about, Chipotle came out last month and labeled their ingredients that contain GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms.) Turns out , there’s a lot of them…

For Sahoor

I’m done with eggs. That is all.

For Iftar

I got my self a bowl from Chipotle but here is how I navigated all of the pit falls. Start with a salad bowl which contains a base layer of lettuce. Skip the tortilla every time. It has tons of carbs and sugar that you don’t need, not to mention heavy on GMOs. Skip the rice (even the brown rice) and beans. The chicken believe it or not is heavy on GMOs as well as the other meats. The only meat that is GMO free is the pork, if that’s your cup of tea. Add in the fajita peppers, mild salsa, and the other salsa that you want. Corn is one of those debatable paleo items but with that quantity you aren’t going to hurt your self. Next add the guacamole, heck double the guacamole. Turns out the guac does not contain any GMOs and is heavy in nutrients your body loves. Skip everything else including the cheese and sour cream (which turns out does not contain GMOs).

Oh you want meat? No problem, use your own! I added some of my GMO free chicken to a pan after marinating it with a little bit of salt, pepper, and chaat masala. I added it to the bowl as well as some Tessamae’s dressing (skip Chipotle’s) and it was as good as ever!

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So there, disaster avoided. I do love Chipotle and learning about their ingredients was disappointing, but like I said, eating healthy is not cheap. It’s a sad thought if you think about it. Obesity is the underlying cause of many illnesses in this country. It’s a driving factor in our health care costs yet to truly counter it, you have to be able to afford it. What’s one to do when they can only afford the unhealthy option today but then suffer the health care costs later? Lifestyle and budgeting is a whole other topic that this blog is not intended for but something to think about.

Maybe I’ll do a few recipes that are healthy and filling yet low cost. Oh and they won’t involve eggs because I think today I hit my threshold on the amount of eggs I can eat in a month.

Pay to Play

Posted: July 27, 2013 in Challenge, Food, Ramadan
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So I know I’ve missed a couple of days worth of posts here so I’m going to combine those two into one. Nothing too exciting happened except I started getting sick of eggs and I ate out successfully.

For Sahoor

On both Wednesday and Thursday I had an omelette. It tastes just as repetitive as it sounds. I did switch it up a little bit on Thursday by only putting in one whole egg and 5 egg whites. It’s really not helping. After Friday I am off till Eid so I will have some time for better Sahoor meals. It’s about time. I’m starting to get a list of stuff I plan on making so be on the lookout for that!

For Iftar

Wednesday was a cheat meal. I wasn’t in the mood to cook and I had dinner with the family. The cheat meal came sooner than I wanted after my previous cheat meal but that just means I won’t have another one for a while. This one was with my favorite bad food so I may have gone pretty close to the border of overboard. It didn’t derail me though so I think I’m ok.

On Thursday I had a friend’s birthday dinner to go to so Iftar was done at a restaurant. I touched on eating out last year as I had to do it while I was traveling and not much of my advice has changed. If you can, look at the menu ahead of time. Find what looks to be healthy and compliant with your diet. Now this doesn’t mean go to the salad section and hate your life. You can still enjoy something that tastes good but you have to do your homework. Prepare questions for the waiter regarding the meal. Ask them what’s in it, how they cook it, and what kind of quality the meat is. Don’t shy out!! You have every right to know what’s going into your stomach so exercise it. Generally speaking, go for the grilled section but be careful with everything it might be cooked in or comes with. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for substitutes. If the meal looks good but comes with fries, ask them to sub it for fruit or a vegetable. I found that most places are willing to accommodate these requests and a lot of times without charging extra. Be in control!
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I had looked at the menu ahead of time so I knew what to get. A little Google help and you can see what goes into the grilled salmon that I went with. It was lightly marinated with salt and pepper and some lemon. It was grilled and served with shredded squash. I had a side of salad with guacamole as well.

Workout of (that) day

5 rounds
30 Second Max Effort Air Squats
Rest 30 Seconds
30 Second Max Effort  Kettlebell swings 53#
Rest 30 Seconds
30 Second Max Effort Hand Release Push Ups
Rest 30 Seconds

Sadly, eating healthy isn’t cheap, especially when eating out. However in the long run, I’d rather pay the price at the meal table than at the doctors table.

Restless

Posted: July 24, 2013 in Food, Ramadan
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Sorry I didn’t get a chance to post last night. I came down with a slight fever and the lack of sleep the night before didn’t help the fatigue. We are half way through and I still haven’t figured out a good sleeping pattern. I’m pretty sure there isn’t one that’s possible unless I skip out on things. On another note, more than half way through and everything (outside of sleep) has become a solid routine.

For Sahoor

Same 2 egg/4 egg white omelette. I had a large peach as well which helps with replenishing electrolytes. Also, since I found that protein powder the other day, I had another protein shake. I had about 32oz of additional water. This breakfast seems to hold me up real well throughout the day. I really don’t feel hungry at all now. If anything, the heat makes you thirsty, especially while working out but other than that it’s great. I’m still experimenting different ways to hydrate enough so I can make it to Iftar time without over doing it and having my body pass the water right through.

For Iftar

I made some Paleo Tacos by making some almond flour tortillas and ground chicken (beef can be used as well). It’s fairly easy to make with the challenge being in your flipmanship with the tortillas. Here is how it’s done:

  • 1/2 lb of ground chicken or beef
  • olive oil
  • 1 banana pepper
  • 1/4 tsp of sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp crushed ginger
  • 1/2 tsp of crushed garlic
  • 1/2 tsp of chili powder
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1/2 tsp paprika

For the tortillas, I used the same recipe as I did when I made the enchiladas.

  1. Add the olive oil to a hot pot.
  2. Once it’s warm, add in the beef, garlic, and giger. Stir it up occasionally until it starts to brown, about 10-15 minutes
  3. Add in the remaining ingredients and stir.
  4. Cook for another couple of minutes and then let it simmer for a few minutes after that on low heat.
  5. Serve on tortillas

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The third tortilla might have been a bit much. It was a lot of food but it tasted great. I sprinkled some lime juice on top of them and added a little bit of Cholula hot sauce. The tortillas were a little thick but other than it was fine. I had some fruit a little bit later in the evening and crashed early since the fever was kicking in stronger.

I guess I can complain about sleep but I stop when I think about the purpose of this month. It’s a month to sacrafice and to put yourself in the shoes of those who are less fortunate. I have a bed to sleep on and the ability to make any meal I want. That’s a lot more than what others around the world have. I’ll keep that in mind the next time I wake up fussy because I’m tired!

Hydration + Electrolytes

Posted: July 23, 2013 in Challenge, Food, Ramadan
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A couple of days ago I talked about hydration and it’s importance, especially if you are working out in this heat. Today I wanted to touch a little bit on electrolytes. For those that are drinking high volumes of water and/or involved in lots of physical activity, replenishing your electrolyte levels are a must. They’re essentially minerals in your blood and other body fluids that carry an electric charge and affect things like the amount of water in your body, the acidity of your blood, your muscle functions, etc. You lose them when you sweat or in some cases are flushed out if you over-hydrate. Good news is that it’s not hard to replenish them. My favorite fruit, watermelon is extremely rich in electrolytes. I usually have a bowl every other night or so. While there are plenty of sources for replenishing electrolytes, like sports drinks, additives, etc, stick with natural sources like fruit, leafy greens, coconut water, and sodium. I say stay away from sports drinks because their sugar content negates a lot of their benefits.

For Sahoor

Today I fried 2 eggs in extra virgin olive oil, sprinkled a bit of a sea salt and chili powder on them and ate them with a fork. I also had a protein shake mixed with water. I don’t often drink shakes post/pre workout because I don’t find them to be that effective. However, I will sometimes drink one as a meal supplement or addition when I remember I still own some. It has plenty of protein and fills you up so it’s not a bad thing to have in the morning. Is it 100% paleo compliant…eehhh.

Workout of the Day

Since I had hydrated a lot in the morning, I decided to do a met con today. To step up the challenge, the whole met con took place outdoors. It sounded like a great idea since it was super hot inside the gym. Funny how the sun works, it wasn’t much better outside once I started the workout with the sun beating down on me. Oh well, I survived and it was a fun one:

4 rounds for time
Run 400 meters
15 Wall ball shots to a 10′ target with 20lb ball
15 Toes to Bar

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The first round went smooth but after I had run about 1/2 a mile, I started to feel the fatigue and hunger kick in. After that I ended up taking a break in between the runs and breaking up the toes to bar reps. I stuck with it though and got it done, slowly. It was a great workout that involved cardio, squats, coordination, and gymnastics.

For Iftar

I tapped into my chicken and beef patties that I have pre made and frozen for busy days and made a bunless burger. The patties consists of ground meat (chicken or beef), grounded with tomatoes, chaat masala, paprika, chili powder, salt, egg, and lemon juice. I grill them and then freeze them for days if I want a quick dinner. They last for a while so you can make a lot ahead of time. Of course they don’t taste as good as when they are fresh off the grill but they get the job done.

I ripped off a bunch of a lettuce and then laid down 2 chicken patties and 2 beef patties. I cut a little bit of tomato and cucumbers to dress it. I used some Tessemae’s ranch salad dressing to give it a nice zing. If you haven’t tried Tessemae’s dressing, I highly recommend you check it out. They have a whole lineup of healthy Paleo dressings that taste great.

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Later in the evening I filled up on some electrolytes through the means of watermelon and called it a night.

Also, I didn’t realize it until someone asked but we are half way done with Ramadan already! It’s become pretty routine now but it was a nice surprise to realize how far along we are already!

Technical Controversies

Posted: July 22, 2013 in Food, Ramadan
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Today’s Iftar meal consists of a much debated paleo food, green beans. Green beans have been long debated by the paleo nerds of whether it’s truly considered paleo or not. I’m here to tell you that there is no need to get so technical. If it tastes good and your body reacts well with it, just eat it. There is no perfect recipe or meal that covers everything each human body needs. Take Rich Froning for example, the worlds fittest person and CrossFit Games winner of 2011 and 2012. He has said many times that his diet consists of a lot of chocolate milk and PB&J. That obviously works for him but I don’t suggest you and I try that on a daily basis if we expect to get anywhere. The point is, do what feels right to you within the general guidelines of healthy eating.

For Sahoor

This morning I put a little more effort into Sahoor and made a shrimp frittata. This can be made with any leftover meat you may have. I had some cooked shrimp so I used that.

  • Shrimp or other leftover meat
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 2 Tbsp of coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup of broccoli
  • 1 Tbsp of coconut oil
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
  2. Warm up a deep skillet with coconut oil and add in the broccoli.
  3. Once the broccoli starts to get tender, add in all of the ingredients and mix everything up.
  4. Cook for a few minutes on the skillet as everything starts to set (3-4 minutes).
  5. Place the skillet in the oven and cook for about 10 minutes.

The frittata should puff up and be cooked all the way through. You can serve it sliced, pizza style. I added some cholula hot sauce to it and ate with a fork. It’s a subtle way to eat meat in the morning without feeling sick. Of course, hydrate!

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For Iftar

Continuing on the seafood trend for the day, I cooked up a tilapia dish for Iftar with vegetables and (gasp) green beans. This requires marinating the fish beforehand so the spices can seep in.

  • A couple of slices of tilapia
  • 1/2 tsp Sea salt
  • 1 tsp of chili powder (or to taste)
  • 1 tsp of chaat masala (or to taste)
  • 1/4 cup broccoli
  • 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 small banana pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 cup of green beans
  • 1/2 tsp of olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp of coconut oil
  1. Marinate the fish with the salt and spices and let it sit for about 30 minutes to an hour.
  2. Warm up a pan and add in the coconut oil.
  3. Add in the fish and let it cook for about 3-4 minutes. Flip it.
  4. Put a cover over the pan and let it cook for another 4 minutes.
  5. When the fish is starting to look done, add in the broccoli, tomatoes and banana peppers.
  6. Place a cover on it, lower the heat, and let it simmer until all of the vegetables are tender.
  7. Place the greens in boiling water and place a top on it. Let it cook for about 7-10 minutes or until tender
  8. Drain the water and add in the olive oil to the pot of green beans. Mix it up.
  9. Add in a little bit sea salt and let it simmer for a few minutes on low heat.

Serve the fish with the green beans. If you want, cut up half a cucumber and dress the fish with it.

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So there you have it, a controversial paleo meal and I still feel great. Just remember, listen to your body and learn to give it what it needs, not what it wants. There is no need to dive into the technical details of what might work and what might not because truth be told, the chances of that fitting you are slim to none. At the end of the day, nutrition should be a fun thing so it doesn’t seem like a task but more of a lifestyle.

Lifestyle my friends. I hope everyone has a happy Monday!

Cheat Meal

Posted: July 20, 2013 in Challenge, Ramadan
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Today I utilized my first cheat meal card for my Ramadan Challenge. I made it to day 12 this year without needing to have one which makes me happy. I really haven’t missed anything or craved anything outside of what I’ve been cooking. I thought for sure this year I would utilize my cheat card a lot sooner since my nutrition has been so bad leading up to Ramadan. Even today, I really didn’t have to use it but my sister was in town and it was her birthday so we decided to enjoy it with some bad food. Worth it? eh, I didn’t go overboard like I did with some of my cheat meals last year so I would say it was worth it, especially since it was for a family member.

Last year I went over what cheat meals  were and why we do them but for the new readers, I’ll touch on it again. Cheat meal is something to stick into your routine once in a while (once…in…a..while..) to refresh yourself with the “outside world”. It takes some pressure off, let’s you cut loose, and more often than not, grosses you out and reminds you why you are eating clean in the first place. That last part is essential. I am not proud to say that I have had plenty of cheat meals over the past couple of years that have turned into cheat months. Enjoy the cheat meal, but be responsible and keep your long term goals in mind. For more details, click the Cheat Meals tag at the beginning of this post to see more entries regarding the subject.

For Sahoor

Nothing special, same omelette with 2 eggs/4 egg whites with banana and some almonds. I hydrated myself up because I knew I had a long day out of the house.

For Iftar

This was my cheat meal and as always, it’s my dirty little secret so I won’t get into what I ate. I will say though that I showed control and really didn’t go overboard. I did enjoy a piece of food that starts with a c and rhymes with fake and my dinner also included some fried carbs from the eastern Asian influence. No soda or overflowing portions though.

It was ok but I didn’t feel like this was something I had to have done today. It was a good break from cooking but I’m ready to be back at it tomorrow!

Hydration FTW

Posted: July 19, 2013 in Challenge, Food, Ramadan
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The heat wave in DC continues but it’s ok, I was able to make it to the gym on time today after work and the heat wasn’t going to stop me. Today’s workout was mostly strength related so I didn’t expect there to be a lot of sweating (or at least as much as one would during a met con). I guess I underestimated the heat, even for 6.30pm because the pool of sweat I saw people swimming in as I walked into the gym disproved my assumptions real fast. This brings up a point I’ve mentioned in several entries now: hydration. I feel myself getting back on track with hydration and that I believe is the key to me being able to have enough energy when it’s time to workout. On days like today, had I not hydrated the night before and at Sahoor, there is no way I could have performed the workout successfully.

Now when I say hydrate, that also doesn’t mean you should be forcing a gallon of water into your body in the last 5 minutes of Sahoor. As good as water is for you, it can be damaging if it isn’t consumed properly. My 19 year old self can tell you a story about when he accepted a challenge to drink a liter of water in a minute. Clearly I wasn’t bright when I was 19 and it led to a painful rest of the day. Anyhow, the point is, know your body and use common sense. If you aren’t used to drinking a lot of water, start increasing your intake slowly. Your body will reject any sudden increase in water intake and pass it right through.

Here is a great calculator to determine how much water you need a day: http://nutrition.about.com/library/blwatercalculator.htm

The results will seem like a lot, but keep in mind that the food you eat contains water as well so that goes towards your final count. Enough about water for now. Tomorrow I will get into the importance of electrolytes, especially during days like today and yesterday.

For Sahoor

I had been hydrating the night before so I continued that this morning. I had a tall glass of water before I started eating my typical 2 egg/ 4 egg white omelette. Then as I ate, I consumed another glass or two. Then when I finished I had more water. I didn’t keep a count but it was probably close to 40-50oz over the course of 45 minutes. My body is used to doing that so I had no problem with it.

Workout of the Day

Today’s workout was all about Power Cleans. Normally one would squat when doing a clean so you can get further underneath the bar which means you have to pull the bar up less. However, with the power clean, you are working on building a strong pull which will inevitably help you get stronger for squat cleans.

Warmup: Run 400 meters, inch worms, 2 rounds – 10 pull ups, 15 kettle bell swings, side straddles, 2 rounds – 10 squats, 10 ring rows, pvc pipe pass throughs

Spend 20 minutes to find a 1 rep max Power Clean.
-then-
at 90% of your one rep max weight – every minute on the minute do 1 power clean.

The workout felt great. I clearly didn’t have 100% percent of my strength as you can see in the video.  My legs did not land properly on some of the reps but it wasn’t terrible either. I was able to max at 225# and failed at 235#. It wasn’t a PR (personal record) but it will do. I attribute the success to being properly hydrated otherwise there is no way I could have maintained composure while lifting that bar.

For Iftar

For Iftar I made chili chicken. It’s another quick recipe that you can put together but it does require some prep ahead of time.

  • 1 lb of chicken breast, diced
  • 1/4 tsp of cumin
  • 1/2 tsp of chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp of chaat masala
  • 1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 3 scallions, diced
  • coconut oil
  • small amount of cilantro to garnish
  1. Marinate the chicken with the cumin, chili powder, chaat masala, and salt. You can either put it in a bowl and do it or you can put the ingredients into a plastic bag and shake it up.
  2. Set the chicken mixture aside, or put it in the fridge for about an hour.
  3. Heat up a pan and put in the coconut oil
  4. Add in the chicken and let it cook. Stir often.
  5. Once the chicken starts browning, add in the scallions and peppers
  6. Add in lime juice and cilantro and stir some more.
  7. Place a top on the pan and let the chicken simmer for a few minutes before you eat it

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You can serve this with guacamole and it would taste amazing. That was my plan until I went for the avocados and saw that they were spoiled. Fail. Lesson learned, Wegman’s avocados don’t last 10 days. Oh well it’s on my shopping list for this weekend. Speaking of which, it’s the weekend! If you have any recipes or dishes you want me to try out, please let me know!

Away from the Kitchen

Posted: July 18, 2013 in Challenge, Food, Ramadan
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So today I had one of those situations that everyone faces during Ramadan, having to eat away from your kitchen. This usually involves going to someone’s house for Iftar and being force fed fried egg rolls and samosas before the rest of the carb and sugar loaded dinner is served. When you think it’s almost over, a tray of kulfis are busted out and well, how can one say no to that.

I’m here to say you can say NO! It may get you some weird looks and you may deeply insult the aunty who cooked but sometimes it needs to be done because at the end of the day, it’s your body. Become comfortable saying no and picking out what you want to eat rather than feeling pressured into having to try everything.

This was my first experience having to go out for Iftar this year but it wasn’t as bad as they usually are. It was an interfaith dinner at the local mosque and a commission that I serve on along with other elected officials in the county were invited to it. It’s an annual tradition and one that I really enjoy. You get to break your fast with neighbors in your community, many of which may never have known what Ramadan is. Everyone has a good time enjoying the food while sharing what Ramadan is about and also learning about cleansing, purifying, and fasting in other religions. If you don’t have one of these in your community but have some pull with the mosque leadership, I highly recommend you look into organizing one and invited local elected leaders, pastors, rabbis, etc to it. If you need help or advice on organizing this, feel free to contact me. A little (paleo) bread breaking with the community goes a long way.

For Sahoor

Before I talk about Sahoor, I do want to mention that I did start hydrating better. The night before I had some watermelon which has tons of water and then I paced myself in drinking about 32oz of water in between Iftar and when I went to sleep.

For Sahoor, I started hydrating while I made my eggs. It was the typical 2 egg/4 egg white omelette with onions, green peppers, sea salt, and tomatoes. I had everything cut up already the night before so in the morning I just threw everything together to make it in coconut oil. I added half an avocado to the plate as well and had about a handful of almonds. I finished up with probably 40-50 oz of water consumed. That’s a lot of water and not the best idea for someone who’s decided that today is the day they are going to start drinking water.

For Iftar

So while standing in the buffet line to get my food, I did my snooping to see what was being served so I could develop a game plan. First up salad, check. Second, fried rice. Yum… I mean no, pass. Next, tandoori chicken, don’t mind if do. That station will always get me looks because I will pile on for a while. Usually it’s the most Paleo thing there so I have to take advantage. Then there was a spinach dish; paleo-ness was questionable because of the type of oil I tasted in it but I had some anyways. Lastly, grilled beef kabobs, check.

Like I said, I’m not shy with the tandoori chicken. I should have gotten some more greens but other than that, it was solid. Paleo (for the most part) while being away from my kitchen so I didn’t have to worry about cooking, check, check, and check.

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Lastly, I’m not sure how many more of these rest days I have left before you guys write me off about this being a workout blog as well. It’s been a rough, long week but it’s almost over. Have I blamed traffic yet? If not I would like to blame that for not letting me make it to the gym in time so that I could get home in time after that to cook. For those that are wondering why I don’t workout after Iftar, here is my (attempted) schedule in the evenings:

6:30-7:30 – Workout. This means I have to make it to the gym before 6.30 from work.

7:30-8:30 – Getting home from gym, clean up, and cooking my Iftar meal.

8:30-9.30 – Break the fast, pray Maghrib prayer, and then dinner

9:30-9:45 – Do a couple of things for work

9:45-11:30 – Drive to mosque, pray taraweeh, drive back.

11:30 – sleep – Write this blog and prep for sahoor. Oh and then be up by 3:30 to make Sahoor.

So basically, if I don’t make it to the gym by 6.30, everything else will be thrown off if I do decide to stick around for a workout. Oh well, I’ve had 10 days to adjust to this schedule. I should be good after this weekend!

Heat Wave

Posted: July 17, 2013 in Food, Ramadan
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For those that have lived in the DC area know what kind of messed up weather we get. It’s either super cold or super hot and occasionally those conditions happen in the wrong time of the year. On days like the one today and yesterday I can’t iterate enough the importance of hydration. I am the biggest hypocrite regarding this recently and am paying for it. My genius self went for a walk in todays Code Orange, humid, scorching weather and it really took a toll. A few days ago I mentioned that I would be hydrating the night before. Well I have done that a few times but not as consistently as I should be. Also this morning I barely hit 32oz of water. Epic fail on my part so as I type this, I’m chugging on water. God willing I will make sure I follow my own advice in the morning. I had planned on WODing today but have not been feeling good, probably because of the lack of water in my system. Lesson for the day, hydrate hydrate hydrate!

For Sahoor

Nothing special this morning. I fried two eggs in olive oil and added some spices to it. I wasn’t in the mood to eat a lot so I didn’t have any extra egg whites. I had some left over guacamole from the night before that I added to the plate. If you haven’t had guac with eggs, you  don’t know what you are missing out on! I recommend you try it the next time you make an omelette.

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For Iftar

Today I got to enjoy momma’s cooking. Like I said I wasn’t feeling well but I was fortunate enough to have Iftar with my family and it turned out to be a Paleo meal. Well, at least the parts I chose to eat. The recipe below is for baked chicken. Extremely easy to make but it does require some time in between the prep and actual baking.

  • chicken, any part with bone-in
  • sea salt
  • ground black pepper
  • chaat masala
  • coriander
  • lemon juice

All of the ingredients are done to taste. Just make sure there is enough to cover the chicken.

  1. Mix the salt, pepper, chaat masala, coriander, and lemon juice into a bowl.
  2. Marinate the chicken in the mixture and leave out for 2-3 hours
  3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
  4. Bake the chicken in the oven until it’s done. Check on it every 10 minutes or so and turn over if necessary

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I added some salad to the plate and ate a bowl of fruit salad. The fruit salad contains apples, bananas, strawberries, grapes,  chaat masala, and a little bit of pure orange juice. Although this meal requires some time to complete, it’s super simple to make when you have a busy schedule. You can even marinate the chicken in the morning or the night before and then bake it when you are ready.

Workout of the Day

Went for a walk….forgot to avoid the sun. Fail.

 

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