Water Your Body - App's suggestion

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Assalamualaikum,

I was reading one of the emails from Productive Muslims when I stumbled upon the “5 ways to a healthier diet”. One that particularly important but yet is being overlook is the importance of drinking water.

Especially for the last couple of days, Malaysia is currently facing extreme hot weather, which makes it even more important for you to replenish all the water you lost to prevent dehydration. Apart from that, drinking water has tonnes of benefits that people seems to take for granted.

It is the easy way to keep your face looking good and hydrated. I believe putting moisturizer is just as important but drinking water can keep your face hydrated from the inside. :D

Not convincing enough?

Drinking water can also help control your calories and at the same time energize your muscles, preventing you from becoming lethargic and tired.

I’ve started drinking a lot of water since I had that bad allergy attack. I usually bring that 1.5L mineral water bottle anywhere I go for me to drink and finish for the day. It is hard the first time. I barely finish half of it and that makes me think “I don’t drink water a lot and this cannot be healthy”. But later on, it started to get easier and you do actually able to drink 1.5L of water in a day.

For someone who wants to start drinking a lot of water, I would suggest to drink water in small volume BUT make it often. Drink a cup of water for every hour, or you can drink juice or cordials in between (Try not to make this a habit. Instead try to train yourself to drink just plain water because you also need to keep your sugar intake in check!)

Caffeinated drinks are not helping since it makes your body loses water even more since it is diuretic (increase urine excretion). But as long as you drink more water when you take caffeinated drinks, it should be okay (since I also need my morning dose of caffeine every day).

*sigh* nothing beats a good coffee...or maybe just plain water? :P

But when you’re not used to drink water for every hour, you tend to forget to do so and can keep on doing work for hours long without getting that hourly water consumption.

I found this app called “Water your body” which I think is pretty neat! They tell you daily amount of water you need to drink based from your body weight (note: the issue of how much water you need every day is still debatable. So just take this as a rough estimation on the amount of water your body needs)

They also have reminders every hour to remind you to drink water and you can chart your daily water consumption whether you have reached your target for the day or not.

                                                 Chart your daily water intake and see if you drink enough water or not

It is a pretty neat app in my opinion. But one thing I do have problem with it is that you cannot adjust the setting for the notification. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t like the notification sound of pouring water. Hehe. But you won’t heard it if you put your phone on silent. It will just show that small cup icon showing that it’s time you drink water now.

So, to all those apps-lovers out there, go and download this app and at the same time keeping your body healthy and hydrated

A day, a year later (part deux)

Bismillah..

For some reason I open my blog couple of days from the post “a day, a year later”

Where making decisions, trying not to have regrets seem to be the issues I have to deal with before. Not that it’s not an issue now, but I think I’ve slowly started to believe that if you follow the correct guidelines in making a decision, there’ll be no room for regrets. True that ‘regret’ should not be in a muslim’s dictionary but one can’t help to feel so when one does not put his/her full trust in Allah, thinking anything happened is due to one’s own effort/doings.

It’s not more of an issue I’m having right now but I think self-improvement is something that I’m working on right now. I’m affected by something that Yasmin Mogahed said during the Marriage Conference last weekend *blush*. Hey! For all that matters, I got a free ticket to go there. Besides, it’s a good knowledge to take in whether you’re married or soon to get married or single. Good knowledge for future reference in my opinion :D

In her talks, Yasmin Mogahed said,

You can’t expect to go into a relationship empty and expect to be filled inside. Just like a beggar who doesn’t have anything will only know to ask from people yet unable to give anything in return.

You can’t expect to be filled emotionally/spiritually by asking the creation. Only the Creator that is able to fill you up inside.

Find the Creator to not make you empty inside. That way you’ll be able to give back to others

So here’s to a better and improve me inshaAllah. I’ll come and check back a day, a year later :P

Ps: previous posts seem to be waaaaay melancholic than I thought. Even I feel depressed re-reading them. Gosh! What happened before Sarah? Haha

Shine bright, shall we?

Bucket full of thoughts and love

I can’t seem to find things on what to write.

Or basically the mood to write.

Which is bad and i think has reached an alarming rate cuz I can’t seem to find things you can relate to or be as attentive as i was before

Writing keeps me in-check with my thoughts.

Putting things in perspective, taking out abstract ideas into solid talks and actions.

..

..

..

And still, nada.

Well, I guess I need to take it slow. Putting jumble thoughts together.

-          I love the feeling you had whenever you went to a how should i put it sister/ukhuwah/Islamic kind of gathering. Everybody’s all smile and greeting each other. Ukhuwahh itu manis. I guess, i kind of can feel it a bit?

-          My thoughts are constantly filled with the unknown, the future you plan, whether you’ll end up this way or the other, will you be happy doing what you do, etc.

I guess it’s time where you feel the need to stop playing around. You cannot just plunge head first and experimenting just as much. And constantly I’ve been thinking on what will I be doing with my master degree once I got it (I plan on continuing my MSc in Sept inshaAllah) And will that degree can actually help me be a better individual. A better muslim.

I might not see it but I find it hard to imagine what would a master in science can help you be a better muslim as in helping the society around you.

Ouh, now I’ve found something to write.

I’ve always been amazed and forever will be in meeting this one auntie who dedicated herself in voluntary work. Running a shelter for women, reverts, and at the same time helping others in need. Being a revert herself, I find she’s such an amazing lady to has that much dedication to what she’s doing.

So knowing her and able to work with her for a few times makes me think that there are more to life than getting a PhD or being a prof or something. True we need more professional muslims. But seeing her life so... simple fascinates me.

Won’t it be simpler and happier doing works that directly will benefit others in need. A regular in voluntary work or I think it is fun if you can open up a business (read: cafe. I love cute cafes) *well this thought did occur because of my selfish reason of not wanting to work from 8-5 everyday for God knows how long.*

You can work. But you have time for your kids. You have time for yourself. An hour or two (or more :P) going out to the malls during the weekdays enjoying an hour or two in a cafe with a book in hand before you get back to the reality of your working/marriage life.

Well, you have to start from the bottom before climbing up to the top. Allah already has a plan for you. How it’s going to turn out. Be it the way you want it, or you’ll get stuck working from 8-5 on a daily basis, Allah knows while you don’t.

It’s not that you can plan ahead of your life. It scares me when i try to put ideas on how it’ll be 5 years from now. What will I be doing with my life. Even planning my life for the next year has its uncertainties. That’s human. We have our flaws. Of not knowing. Of thinking our plan is always the best.

So just take one step at a time. You can plan how you want your life turns out to be. But keep in mind that Allah knows best. He knows what’s best for each and everyone of us. And when the time comes, just accept it with hikmah and say Alhamdulillah, you’ve reached the part of your life where you imagine it was years ago.

*sigh* it feels good once you start to write* haha.

My wishlist. soon baby, soon :)

A day, a year later

"Would you choose something you love.. Or something that you have a future with?"

Making decisions. Taking one, leaving another. You can never have everything of your heart’s desire in life. Nor can you turn back when you realize the one choice you left turns out far better than the one you choose. Well, whatever you choose, I believe that it is the one that is best for you at the moment. So, don’t fret or be scared because Allah knows. And you don’t.

Probably being cautious. Or even calculative. And I don’t consider myself adventurous since I hate to put myself in a situation that I can’t control. So, weighing those choices with my capability in mind, I think both are right. I can picture myself in both situation and inshaAllah will succeed.

But what is it that’s stopping you from choosing either one of the choices?

Not ready yet?

Too comfortable maybe?

"The first step is always the hardest to take" *sigh*

I’m not making any sense right now am I?

*a day, a year later, i should come back to this and see how far i've walked since this day*

Dear you.

If who you’re with shaped how you act. 

Like a chameleon. 

Changing colours in a particular environment among that group of people. 

And yet, you change to fit with others in a different environment. 

Such different colour you have there. 

At times, you are brighter than the others. Or sometimes, you’re just plain old grey. 

The only time you being you is when you’re alone. 

No one knows the true you. 

That one particular colour. 

Can you say that you’re being your true self? 

When the only one that knows the answer is only.. 

you.

^_^

Being strangers

Daripada Abu Hurairah r.a. berkata: Bersabda Rasulullah saw, "Islam mula tersebar dalam keadaan dagang (asing). Dan ia akan kembali asing pula. Maka beruntunglah orang-orang yang asing."

Hai Assalamualaikum,

One thing that always keeps me thinking when remembering this hadith is how much of a stranger are you? And how much of a stranger can you be. This is Prophet Muhammad’s hadith. And for sure it will happen. So,

Can you be different?

Sometimes, people who act out of norm will be subjected to slanders and dirty looks just because you act in some way, or if you dress up in a different way (style-wise) than the society. So some will always resort to blending in with the crowd. Suppressing individuality just to fit in. Which I think should not be happening (in referring to something good). You can clearly see this in terms of fashion. You covered with hijab, not so many people give that LOOK to you. You wear a big hijab (u’re saying it as big hijab or long hijab? Anyhow, tudung labuh la. People pandang pelik. They call you not up to trend. You wear long blouses, stockings, hand socks, people labelled u as such).

Nanti entah2 nak solat pun orang akan pandang pelik” – Ayah

At that time will we be the one who are the strangers that still practice islam or we opt for blending in with the society?

Menakutkan.

Ps: Sometimes, when you face a certain situation, it’s either you act to what’s right, or you act to how the society did even though it is not right. You choose. So Sarah, when you come across those kind of situations, that can be a practice for you to practice and be a stranger and act on what’s right. It comes down to practice too somehow. And dua’a of course.

And I wonder who it is to blame? You for not standing up for you or the society?

Dare to be different? *smile*

 

Independent.. Only if you have to (?)

Hai Assalamualaikum,

You know what, I don't think we human can really, totally be independent as what one might think. Especially muslims. We can never ever ever be independent because

We have to be dependent to the One and Only Rabb :)

Hehh. Written probably just to justify her action on refusing a very good research offer for the sake of not wanting to move out of Bangi. (this will be a story for next time) Haha.

I might think of moving out of Bangi if I have a family. Or in fact, maybe I can pujuk (or probably paksa) future husband to live in Bangi instead of somewhere else. Haha. Pergi oversea maybe nak.. :P

Post-oversea syndrome perhaps? Pffttt! Life decision.... It clearly is hard being an adult. So, help?

This I might consider :P