Dear sisters, may I present you with a picture of a lemon cake I baked recently. As you can see, it is already in a state of demolition! Yes, I know this is a website aimed at promoting health and well-being and no doubt you will be asking what my ulterior motive is for showing you a picture of a half-eaten cake (which, may I add, was very tasty)! The answer is that we all know that fad diets don’t work: the more a particular food is denied, the more you crave it. I should know, I’ve been dieting (or thinking about it) practically all my life. The first instance was when the school doctor advised me to try to lose weight by giving up potatoes, cakes and biscuits. I was a chubby six year old at the time and my favourite food was pink iced buns from our local bakery. I was not ready to commit to a life without cake and I threw his prescription in the bin!
Throughout my life I have tried, half-heartedly to lose weight but as time goes on, it is getting more and more difficult. My conclusion is to not make any drastic changes in my diet but to focus on healthy alternatives. There are plenty of resources available online with nutritional information of common foods and healthy alternatives.
The religion of Islam, is not just a set of rituals, rather it represents a complete way of life and advocates moderation in all spheres of human existence. We are free to enjoy the bounty of the Earth but we should take only what we need and not exploit the material resources we have at our disposal. Allah says in the Quran Chapter 2, verse 172:
O you who have believed, eat from the good things which We have provided for you and be grateful to Allah if it is [indeed] Him that you worship.
The important point to note here, is that we should be grateful for the provision Allah has provided for us. There is also a warning against greed and gluttony:
O children of Adam, take your adornment at every masjid, and eat and drink, but be not excessive. Indeed, He likes not those who commit excess.(Quran 7:31)
A number of Hadith record the virtues of eating in moderation, as advised by the Prophet (peace be upon him). An example is:
“The son of Adam does not fill any vessel worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat a few mouthfuls, to keep him going. If he must do that (fill his stomach), then let him fill one third with food, one third with drink and one third with air.” Narrated by al-Tirmidhi (1381), Ibn Maajah (3349); classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (2265).
Another incentive for eating responsibly is that food always tastes better when you are mindful of what you are eating. The great Islamic scholar, Ibn Taymiyah writes:
‘Those who show moderation in eating find greater pleasure in their food than those who overindulge. When they become addicted and habituated to their indulgence, they find no great pleasure in it anymore, though they might suffer for want of it when they do not have it and endure ill health because of it.’
Going back to the cake, by sharing it with family, friends, colleagues or neighbours, you are not only being thoughtful and generous but you also limit what you eat yourself and it is a great tool for da’wah. Finally, it is better to bake yourself so you know that only fresh ingredients have been used and there are no nasty chemicals to contend with!
So, you can have your cake and eat it…but only in moderation!
A good website that provides a general plan for losing weight is:
http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/weight-loss-guide/Pages/weight-loss-guide.aspx
Please also refer to my article about how your environment can make you more prone to obesity:
https://www.islam21c.com/islamic-thought/getting-a-hold-on-obesity/