MENA diet/exercise thread

[Nasturtium 500]

Well the healthy diet can depend on a few factors-- how much activity do you have and what height and weight are you and what do you wish to be weight wise. It also depends on your frame to a degree. Like I have a small frame-- I am 5'4", but I have size 6 (or 5.5) feet, my ring size is 4 to give an indication of my finger bones, and my hands are like 5.5" from wrist to top of the middle finger. My wrists are about 6.5" around at the widest part of my bones. my ribs are like 24" around at their base. So i do fine with 110 as a weight because of my frame. But 120 can look equally as good or even thinner on some people my height! Also you see a lot of people going for a "weight" like 150, but never taking into account their height. 150 for a taller person could be too thin. 150 for someone my height could be on the overweight side. 150 for someone like my mom (5'1.5") could be classed as obese. Take the reality of your body and the reality of your activity (marathon runners can eat like crazy while training! If I ate like that, I'd be over 200lbs really quick.) level, then you should get a caloric estimate of how much you should be taking in. This should be based in vegetable carbs with some protiens and whatnot tossed in.

All that said... I bet if a few of us came up with a few plans, we could piece together enough meals in order to make a week

[MrsAmera 41]

I'll post my menu when I get home tonight

[Nasturtium 500]

Hmmm. I'll, post one. Serving size is the whole thing, which probably makes like 4-5 cups of this and calories are about 550:

1cup zuchini sticks (like carrot sticks)

1 cup summer squash sticks (you can use 2 cups of both, I just like color).

1 cup carrot sticks

1 small onion

2 large leaves/stems of bok choy

4 large leaves nappa cabbage

2 cups mushrooms (i counted with button)

1/4 block lite extra-firm nasoya tofu (1 chicken breast, 4 oz is also good)

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbs soy sauce

I use an electric wok set at 250*F. If you have a real fire or a higher heat, cooking times will need to be reduced. Cooking is also reduced or increased depending on how you want your stuff-- crisp or mushy. The times and temp I gave are for a medium crispness.

Chop the onion roughly, and fry it in the olive oil for about 2-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the stems of the bok choy, stir, and cook another 3-6 minutes. Add the zuch, squash, tofu, and carrot, stir, cook another 3 minutes. Add cabbage and bok choy leaves, stir, cook until wilted (probably 3 minutes or so). Add soy sauce and stir it in. I then pick it up out of the wok with tongs, which tends to leave behind the oily residue more.. but it's up to you.

If you use chicken, I will add it in the beginning just after the onion but before the mushroom and bok choy stems. I make sure it's cooked before I add other vegetables. I also will turn the wok up to about 350.

[ayesha4akram 0]

Sereia, you have me in stitches with the breasts comment, for some reason when i lose weight, mine seem to disappear .

Julianna, I agree with you. I was told by that my ideal weight should be between 125 and 130...but when i've been 130 it felt good... when i got to 125 was when people started asking if i was sick . I'm also 5'4 but my bones and feet are definitely not like yours and my ring size is 7 1/2, so I do agree with you that it depends on many factors.

But coming up with a weekly healthy menu would be a great help to me nonetheless, cause that's something i can stick to, instead of eating whatever. Plus it would be great to see the progress of those of us who follow this.

Amera, I love you! I'll be waiting for that menu insha Allah.

I don't know if this has happened to any of you, but, for example yesterday, I went to the closet to get dressed and the clothes felt larger, so of course i thought yayyyy i'm losing weight! But when i went to weigh myself i was disappointed in seeing the same 145!! I don't know what's going on!

Anyway, I'm thinking of losing those 20 pounds and disregarding some people's comments on how sick or drained i look.(of course I'll be happy even if i lose just the 15!, I just need to get a start on losing weight).

Hugs,

Ayesha

[chaishai 1]

Julianna absolutely no offense, only helpful constructive thoughts here - but isnt 6 tacos specifically 6 soft taco shells kind of alot? I feel horrible saying this but I have thought things were healthy in the past and ate alot of them and then found out from others that they werent! if you are talking regular flour soft taco shells I wouldnt eat more than one (but i would eat other stuff with it, veggies beans etc! Do you have beans in the house? you could have beans vs. smartground for protein.

Again, this is only with love here!

I don't know? kind of alot. Hmm. Well, maybe? i can fairly out-eat most people so this was 6 of the small shells (about 6 inches in diameter), 8 leaves of greenleaf lettuce, 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded, and 4 small roma tomatoes. I didn't think it was particularly healthy in that I mentioned it was really lacking in the nutrients for teh day... but wasn't feeling like cooking. The only thing that's in my taco shells is flour, water, olive oil, and salt-- because I use the pita recipe sans yeast.

you make your taco shells? thats great!!!

my two cents is less shells, more stuff inside the shells!!!

[chaishai 1]

Hmmm. I'll, post one. Serving size is the whole thing, which probably makes like 4-5 cups of this and calories are about 550:

1cup zuchini sticks (like carrot sticks)

1 cup summer squash sticks (you can use 2 cups of both, I just like color).

1 cup carrot sticks

1 small onion

2 large leaves/stems of bok choy

4 large leaves nappa cabbage

2 cups mushrooms (i counted with button)

1/4 block lite extra-firm nasoya tofu (1 chicken breast, 4 oz is also good)

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbs soy sauce

I use an electric wok set at 250*F. If you have a real fire or a higher heat, cooking times will need to be reduced. Cooking is also reduced or increased depending on how you want your stuff-- crisp or mushy. The times and temp I gave are for a medium crispness.

Chop the onion roughly, and fry it in the olive oil for about 2-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the stems of the bok choy, stir, and cook another 3-6 minutes. Add the zuch, squash, tofu, and carrot, stir, cook another 3 minutes. Add cabbage and bok choy leaves, stir, cook until wilted (probably 3 minutes or so). Add soy sauce and stir it in. I then pick it up out of the wok with tongs, which tends to leave behind the oily residue more.. but it's up to you.

If you use chicken, I will add it in the beginning just after the onion but before the mushroom and bok choy stems. I make sure it's cooked before I add other vegetables. I also will turn the wok up to about 350.

that sounds like my kinda recipe!!!

[chaishai 1]

I have a question - is plastic surgery "done" in parts of MENA other than israel? ie, morocco etc. I mean I am sure it is done, but is it popular?

In israel I know its not the case but it just SEEMS like more women have plastic surgery than not....

Just curious.

So my dinner tonight I think is going to be:

I saute an onion in cooking spray with about 6 cloves of garlic and some pine nuts. After the garlic gets soft I usually add a cup of white wine and let it cook down. After that I add zucchini, squash, tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli and saute a bit. Then I usually add chicken soup powder and hot water, but I might try to leave that out tonight I dont think thats so healthy. Maybe i will buy healthy veggie broth and add that. I make this all the time and love it! Its epecially good the next day. Oh and I also add the rice fake parmesean.

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Oh yes! My Husband was studying under the most famous plastic surgeon in all of Cairo for awhile. I posted pix of them together even because I was so proud he got that coveted internship. From time to time he was commenting on medical tourism business in Egypt. Why do you ask?

I have a question - is plastic surgery "done" in parts of MENA other than israel? ie, morocco etc. I mean I am sure it is done, but is it popular?

In israel I know its not the case but it just SEEMS like more women have plastic surgery than not....

Just curious.

So my dinner tonight I think is going to be:

I saute an onion in cooking spray with about 6 cloves of garlic and some pine nuts. After the garlic gets soft I usually add a cup of white wine and let it cook down. After that I add zucchini, squash, tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli and saute a bit. Then I usually add chicken soup powder and hot water, but I might try to leave that out tonight I dont think thats so healthy. Maybe i will buy healthy veggie broth and add that. I make this all the time and love it! Its epecially good the next day. Oh and I also add the rice fake parmesean.

[chaishai 1]

Oh yes! My Husband was studying under the most famous plastic surgeon in all of Cairo for awhile. I posted pix of them together even because I was so proud he got that coveted internship. From time to time he was commenting on medical tourism business in Egypt. Why do you ask?

I have a question - is plastic surgery "done" in parts of MENA other than israel? ie, morocco etc. I mean I am sure it is done, but is it popular?

In israel I know its not the case but it just SEEMS like more women have plastic surgery than not....

Just curious.

So my dinner tonight I think is going to be:

I saute an onion in cooking spray with about 6 cloves of garlic and some pine nuts. After the garlic gets soft I usually add a cup of white wine and let it cook down. After that I add zucchini, squash, tomatoes, mushrooms, broccoli and saute a bit. Then I usually add chicken soup powder and hot water, but I might try to leave that out tonight I dont think thats so healthy. Maybe i will buy healthy veggie broth and add that. I make this all the time and love it! Its epecially good the next day. Oh and I also add the rice fake parmesean.

I was just curious.... I was sure there were plastic surgeons, I was just wondering culturally if it was the norm to get some of the more superficial plastic surgery. No offense to anyone in calling it superficial, I have had some myself and I know its superficial!

Is your husband studying to be a plastic surgeon?!

Edited January 3, 2008 by chaishai

[Nasturtium 500]

You could be gaining muscle weight somehow. I didn't change my weight from that freaking 144 in 2 weeks... but I did lose inches around myself. So obviously somehting was happening, but it wasn't weight loss. I could have lost fat and tightened up my muscles and maybe gained some muscle weight as well. People don't ask me if I am sick until about 105 or so. Right now I've had a few poeple come up to me at work and ask me if I am over 170lbs! I'm like no, but thanks for the confidence OTOH, I have a friend who is floating between a size 0/2 and she's 1 inch taller than me, and she weighs 125. So this time what I did is measure my clothes and figure out my inches. I'm actually thinking that although my goal is 110lbs, which was the size I was happy with, I may be at 120 and that size because I'm working out to obtain it.

My chest dissappears too and i love it. Right now they are all up in my business and I do not like this! Cannt run or wear clothes, etc.

[Nasturtium 500]

you make your taco shells? thats great!!!

my two cents is less shells, more stuff inside the shells!!!

Oh yeah. Sore-bought are pretty bad in what they contain... and also they aren't considered kosher/halal since many contain lard from pigs! I should just overstuff! I had planned on 2, but then I realized Ammar was cooking for himself so i had eaten two then i was still a big hungry, so i ate two more. Then I ate again LOL. I should have just cooked something! I probably eat tacos like 2-3 times a year.

[Nasturtium 500]

Hmmm. I'll, post one. Serving size is the whole thing, which probably makes like 4-5 cups of this and calories are about 550:

1cup zuchini sticks (like carrot sticks)

1 cup summer squash sticks (you can use 2 cups of both, I just like color).

1 cup carrot sticks

1 small onion

2 large leaves/stems of bok choy

4 large leaves nappa cabbage

2 cups mushrooms (i counted with button)

1/4 block lite extra-firm nasoya tofu (1 chicken breast, 4 oz is also good)

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbs soy sauce

I use an electric wok set at 250*F. If you have a real fire or a higher heat, cooking times will need to be reduced. Cooking is also reduced or increased depending on how you want your stuff-- crisp or mushy. The times and temp I gave are for a medium crispness.

Chop the onion roughly, and fry it in the olive oil for about 2-5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the stems of the bok choy, stir, and cook another 3-6 minutes. Add the zuch, squash, tofu, and carrot, stir, cook another 3 minutes. Add cabbage and bok choy leaves, stir, cook until wilted (probably 3 minutes or so). Add soy sauce and stir it in. I then pick it up out of the wok with tongs, which tends to leave behind the oily residue more.. but it's up to you.

If you use chicken, I will add it in the beginning just after the onion but before the mushroom and bok choy stems. I make sure it's cooked before I add other vegetables. I also will turn the wok up to about 350.

that sounds like my kinda recipe!!!

There is a bad version of this -- it's online for a few more days until I close out!

http://www.little-birdie.net/julianna/2006...is_totally.html

PS--my Dh says that Lebanon is famous for it's plastic surgery.

Edited January 3, 2008 by julianna

[Dr. A ♥ O 203]

Is your husband studying to be a plastic surgeon?!

He did but hasn't gone on to the masters level due to believing he will be over here before he could finish.

I'm looking around for something to eat until Mom and I can go for Thai Food and a movie tonight! I love curry with tofu!

Edited January 3, 2008 by OlivianWaleed

[Alhamdulillah 0]

I was just curious.... I was sure there were plastic surgeons, I was just wondering culturally if it was the norm to get some of the more superficial plastic surgery. No offense to anyone in calling it superficial, I have had some myself and I know its superficial!

My husband has a friend who's a plastic surgeon but his practice is in Canda, not Libya. I've never asked but I always assumed it's because plastic surgery isn't as popular there as it in the west.... I could be wrong.

Anyway, it works out good for me because Canada is closer and I get the friendship discount!

[MrsAmera 41]

So lunch today is:

8 pieces of pumpernickel cocktail size bread, with sugar free seedless rasberry jam, la vache qui ri cheese and oven roasted turkey. I had some cottage cheese with pineapple for breakfast and dinner is going to be chicken breasts with panko and baked with some veggies.