Monday 2 October 2006

Oprah once said on her show "There is something special about today. Today is the day you move out of your fat zone!" I considered carefully those words as I took in yet another spoonful of cream (creme?) caramel.

Where is my fat zone? Is it that narrow band between my waist and ribs, or does it mysteriously envelope my room, humming subsonically like the force field emitted by some glowing kernel of nuclear fatness? Does it perhaps, move along with me, all the time hovering over my head like a small personalised raincloud, raining not water, but small hourly increments of pudge?

Yes, that must be it! The quality of my increasing weight stems not from the things that I eat and drink - it droppeth upon me like dew from the heavens. When I feel the buttons beginning to strain and the seems begin to sigh, it is not my doing. It is because I am still living in my fat zone.

Whoever conjured up the ridiculous idea that you can lose weight during the fasting month should be covered with sugar and tied to a rambutan tree.

I used to believe that idea, mind you. I used to think that since you weren't eating throughout the day - unless you were cheating, of course - then you could easily lose a couple of pounds daily. Add in the daily physical activites, and you were on the fast track to swimsuit model waistlines. It seemed that there was hope after all for those suburban whales out there. They could finally slim down to look like Kate Moss.

But that is all in the past. I have long abandoned all fantasies concerning the idea of losing weight in Ramadhan. Indeed it should have come as no surprise when you consider how I am 'forced' to finish the last few scoopfuls of rice each time we (my housemates and I) sit down for iftar. How everybody ends up buying a few bagfuls of kuih each time they visit the bazaar. And how dessert strangely enough becomes a must rather than an option.

Never mind. If it is my fate to be one with the suburban whales, then I quietly submit myself to what shall be.

postscript: Actually, I was dead out of ideas on what to post this time around. But still, I wanted to do so after reading all the other bloggers' nice, nice entries on Ramadhan. So here is the end product of approximately half an hour's worth of mindless scribbling.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Salaam All.

Well,some people do lose weight, but others may not. It is recommended that meals eaten during Ramadan be light, but most people can’t resist sampling special sweets and foods associated with Ramadan. If done properly, fasting can also rid one’s body from physical impurities and toxins, according to many health studies. As for me, I did gain spiritual weight, and loss physical weight.:) Trouble is though, that "losing weight" doesnt make me look any better!haha:p! My colleague had already lost 2-3 kg during this Ramadhan and I envy him so much. But I think he'll put on weight as fast as he lost it after the fasting month too! haha so I'm going to stick with loosing weight slowly.

Anyway, i hope u all had a most illuminious and healthy (if not rather quick) Ramadhan.=0

Anonymous said...

Salaam All.

Well,some people do lose weight, but others may not. It is recommended that meals eaten during Ramadan be light, but most people can’t resist sampling special sweets and foods associated with Ramadan. If done properly, fasting can also rid one’s body from physical impurities and toxins, according to many health studies. As for me, I did gain spiritual weight, and loss physical weight.:) Trouble is though, that "losing weight" doesnt make me look any better!haha:p! My colleague had already lost 2-3 kg during this Ramadhan and I envy him so much. But I think he'll put on weight as fast as he lost it after the fasting month too! haha so I'm going to stick with loosing weight slowly.

Anyway, i hope u all had a most illuminious and healthy (if not rather quick) Ramadhan.=0

Anonymous said...

Salaam All.

Well,some people do lose weight, but others may not. It is recommended that meals eaten during Ramadan be light, but most people can’t resist sampling special sweets and foods associated with Ramadan. If done properly, fasting can also rid one’s body from physical impurities and toxins, according to many health studies. As for me, I did gain spiritual weight, and loss physical weight.:) Trouble is though, that "losing weight" doesnt make me look any better!haha:p! My colleague had already lost 2-3 kg during this Ramadhan and I envy him so much. But I think he'll put on weight as fast as he lost it after the fasting month too! haha so I'm going to stick with loosing weight slowly.

Anyway, i hope u all had a most illuminious and healthy (if not rather quick) Ramadhan.=0

Anonymous said...

You betcha! Never ever bank on losing weight during Ramadhan. Especially when you glut up on iftar. Should anyone ever have such notion on the start of Ramadhan then they'd better amend their 'niat' lest their fasting will end up void. :p

As for me, the minute I lose some weight, it'll be from my face causing me to look gaunt. If only we can chose which part of our body weight to go first eh?

Btw,why is it suburban whale and not just urban??

~confessions from a self-acclaimed suburban whale.

Ikelah said...

most people loose weight in the first week of Ramadhan. they will loose 1-2 kilos and then it will stabilize for a few days. then it depends on your diet. sampling and vigorous eating will cause increase in weight. a control low fat, less sweet and less CHO will bring down the body weight slow and steady.

Why 1-2 kilos in the first week? it is mainly due to loss of body fluid, not the stubborn fat. ;)

Good l;uck with your ramadhan diet. ;)

Anonymous said...

1. Men talking about loosing weight, well I'll be...
2. You're not fat lah hiyoshi! ...
3. .... wait until you get married, then you'll know what fat means
4. I've lost weight during ramadhan :p (that's because I'm not in malaysia like you guys) ;(

Mama Sarah said...

DITH what happened to the name Tabibah eh?

anyway, same here lah doc. If only we could choose which part eh?

Mynn Hey kecik hati tau by your statement! does that mean my cooking is bad? Or I don't cook at all? you'd better re-phrase your statement :|

Jamil said...

salfiza

Well said :)

DITH

Yes, it certainly is better to maintain the niat of fasting in its original state. At least the pahala section won't become thin as well :P

ikelah

It's been a while since you dropped by. Welcome back :) You say that the first 1-2 kg lost is due to body fluids? I guess it makes sense. I was drinking a lot and pee-ing even a lot more during the first days of fasting (So sorry for the crude scenario)

mynn

1. It's a sign of male maturity.
2. But I have chubby cheeks!
3. I'll ask my dad. He's been married for around 20 years already, so he should be an expert in the field.
4. Can't wait for the day you come back to Malaysia and start binging on food. I expect the title of your blog will also change into "Scratch That Belly"

Just kidding *wink*

mama sarah

I'd go for my cheeks first!

Errr...would mynn care to explain himself?

Anonymous said...

Hey, I'm P.I.E.J.A okayy..not salfiza!hoho.

Btw, which statement did u refer as "well said"? Hmmmmmd it must be for statement... "losing weight" doesnt make me look any better! (kan?)oh yeahhh...aiman tak kisahhh

Anonymous said...

LOL reading your reply especially "chubby cheeks"

ill call hiyoshi chubby cheeks lah from now on...

... is that okay chubby cheeks?

pycnogenol said...

I can just picture chubby cheeks scratching that belly!!! he..he... ;)

Anonymous said...

:o) There are married men who still look the same like when before they were married(well, almost...) and there are married men who has extra fats in the right places after they were married...no, they r not fat.

Hyoshi,u r tall & fat?Didn't think to ask crimsonskye last time...

Ikelah said...

"It's been a while since you dropped by. Welcome back :)" <----isk isk isk

you were really sleeping then. i wrote a weeny comment in your 'while you were sleeping'. ;)

Anonymous said...

Food is good... if we really want to lose weight Ramadhan may or may not be the month to fast. The first week I was living alone, I managed to stabilise my eating - minimal oil, carbs and drinking juices instead of cordials and sweet drinks from Pasar Ramadhan. Then I went to the inlaws house who have full meals.. I mean it was very difficult not to eat there.

Now I am with my wife I want her to have a taste of all that Malaysia has to offer after being away for so long. Naturally I have also been doing some "sampling" and this has caused it even more difficult to control the consumption.

However, we have come to some sort of agreement. I dont really eat that much as I prefer to drink more (yeah I am a heavy drinker) than eat, so I can just drink more and fill up on juices. The wife can have a go at the food.

ifos said...

I think I'm counted as one of the suburban whales. lol. On chubby cheeks- I share the sentiment. Wish I can get rid of it!

Anonymous said...

o-k
kkl makan boleh tahan tapi slim tetap slim eh? you two kenapa tak update blog??????????????? i've been checking it to see what you guys have been up to sekarang dah live together-gether again :) must be good times

ifos
tengok the video your mum posted you all semua slim slim aje.

Anonymous said...

Hmm mynn, maybe I should put a sign on the blog, temporary busy.. hahahaha

Any way, will update when I can.. things are still hectic trying to settle down...

Jamil said...

p.i.e.j.a

'Twas a chore to spell out your name. Actually, losing weight may or may not (to borrow from ok) make you look better. If initially your proportions are somewhat like Roseanne, then you could make do with a little losing of weight. But if you're already in the regions of Claudia Schiffer....

mynn

Call me what you please...Itchy Belly hehehehe....

pycnogenol

Pehaps later when mynn comes back to Malaysia :P

ummi

I'm tall and chubby LOL. "It's a gift" says my mom, but I'm not quite sure which part of it is.

ikelah

My apologies. It's just that I rarely do read back previous comments when I've moved onto a new post. Sorry again.

OK

Thanks for dropping by. Do appreciate new faces :)

"yeah I am a heavy drinker" - Not the best line to use on a newly found acquaintance, I would imagine.

iFos

Liposuction! Liposuction!

Mama Pongkey said...

I always say I am a social drinker myself. With regards to tea and coffee that is. :D

Anonymous said...

"
Now I am with my wife I want her to have a taste of all that Malaysia has to offer after being away for so long. " <-- ni macam i m 100% malaysian je.

hiyoshi....u r ageing. i wrote before u open a new spot :) the first with a reply about embryology. second, a few days later. pergi beli dan makan akar singa, bagus untuk memory.

ayumi said...

Salaam..
All I know is.. even in Ramadhan, I am getting chubbier.. India is.. a chubby'ing' place.. hahaha..

Selamat hari raya..