I’d follow the same workout and eating plans as everyone else, including the meal prep guides, gym schedules, and the “just eat less and move more” advice, and still feel stuck.

I’d watch other people drop weight while I was still bloated, exhausted, craving sugar by 3 PM, and fighting belly fat that felt glued to my body.

For a long time, I thought it was about discipline.

More effort. More restrictions. More guilt.

But the truth is:

My body isn’t failing all these plans.

These plans have not been built for my body.

The Wellness Industry Was Built on One Type of Body

Most popular nutrition and fitness studies focus on data collected from Western, white populations.

Almost every recommendation, from calorie distribution to eating plan to workout patterns, is based on bodies that don’t share my ancestry or metabolism.

South Asian bodies, for example, have a unique history shaped by:

• Centuries of plant, rice, and spice eating

• Cultural feasting and fasting traditions

• Survival in environments with famine (under British rule)

• High sensitivity to sugar for conserving energy

Those traits helped our ancestors survive.

But in today’s world, where food is constant, movement is minimal, and stress is chronic, those same traits can make us more likely to experience:

• Blood sugar crashes

• Belly fat around the midsection

• Sugar cravings

• Low energy

• Slow recovery

• Bloating

• High cholesterol

• Insulin resistance

And when we don’t get the results others get, the blame often lands on us.

The story becomes:

“You’re not trying hard enough.”

“You need more discipline.”

“You need to cut more.”

But the real story is this:

Our bodies are operating from a completely different blueprint.

Your Genes Aren’t the Problem

A lot of us grew up hearing things like:

“Diabetes/heart disease runs in the family.”

“We’re just built this way.”

And yes, genetics play a significant role in shaping how our bodies metabolize sugar, respond to stress, store fat, and manage inflammation.

But genetics don’t decide your outcome.

They influence your starting point.

Research from nutrition science shows that:

• Two people can eat the same meal and have entirely different blood sugar responses.

• Some bodies naturally store energy faster.

• Some individuals absorb nutrients differently.

• Some individuals require more assistance with stress recovery because cortisol levels are more pronounced.

It’s not about blame or limits.

It’s about being informed.

Information we may not know or have access to.

When you understand your body’s wiring, you can support it instead of fighting it.

Why Belly Fat Shows Up First (and Stays Longer)

For many South Asians, fat tends to accumulate around the midsection first, even at lower body weights.

It’s about how our bodies store and release energy.

Belly fat in this region is often visceral fat, which resides deeper in the abdomen and is associated with blood sugar patterns and stress hormones.

So when we say:

• “I’m eating the same as everyone else.”

• “I’m not overeating.”

• “I’m active.”

It isn’t a calorie issue.

It’s a metabolic one.

Which means the solution can’t just be:

“Eat less.”

The solution has to support:

• Better blood sugar rhythm

• Better stress response

• Better digestion

• Better sleep recovery

• Better timing of meals

• Better nutrient absorption

Our bodies need this level of support.

The Future of Health Is Personal, Not Generic

We’re moving into a new era of wellness.

One where we stop pretending everyone’s body works the same.

Personalized nutrition isn’t about luxury.

It’s about accuracy.

And for brown bodies, personalization isn’t optional.

It’s required.

We need:

• Foods that match our metabolism

• Movement that works with our bodies, not against them

• Stress and sleep rhythms that meet our nervous systems where they are

Brown Body Reset is built on this foundation.

Not hype.

Not trends.

Not “fixing.”

Not shame.

Understanding.

Because when your body is understood, it can finally respond.

A Different Kind of Reset

Brown Body Reset isn’t about shrinking yourself.

It’s about:

• Calming blood sugar swings

• Reducing cravings driven by stress and exhaustion

• Supporting digestion and bloating that comes from food mismatch

• Helping the body recover at night

• Releasing fat the body has been holding for safety

It works with your biology, not against it.

And it’s designed for bodies that wellness research has previously overlooked.

You Are Not Starting From Scratch

You’re starting with:

• History

• Culture

• Biology

• Resilience

Your body has been carrying ancestral knowledge all along.

Now it finally gets support to match it.

If this resonated, I’d love to hear from you.

Reply, message me, or share this with someone who has felt unheard or unseen in their wellness journey.

We deserve solutions that see us.

And we’re building them.

Together.

That if I could “just be stronger,” I’d stop reaching for the chocolate for a mid-afternoon snack or ordering mango lassi at dinner.

However, the truth is more complex and liberating.

Because cravings aren’t a character flaw. They’re chemistry.

And they’re cultural.

And they’re deeply human.

The Nighttime Craving Cycle

Here’s a scene that plays out every time I visit my parents:

It’s 10 PM. I’m full from dinner.

I don’t need anything else.

But my mom walks in with a cold glass of falooda or a Cadbury bar: “Just a little,” she says. “It won’t hurt you.”

And even when I say no, she pouts.

And eventually, I eat it.

It’s not hunger. It’s not a weakness.

It’s an emotional craving wrapped in love, tradition, and family expectations, and it’s also a biological response my body has been programmed to have.

Love, Sugar, and the Fruit Bowl

And it’s not always junk food. In many South Asian families, including mine, parents often express love through food, even when it’s as simple as fruit.

A ripe, juicy jackfruit. A bowl of sliced papaya. A plate of mango slices sprinkled with salt and chili. Or even cut up passion fruit.

It didn’t matter if it was fruit or dessert, the message was the same: “I care about you. This is how I show it.”

Over time, that connection wires our brains to seek comfort and validation through food, regardless of the type of food. Even “healthy” sugar can become part of the emotional craving pattern. It’s not about the sugar itself. It’s about the signal: “I feel loved when I eat this.”

The Genetic Side of Cravings

Cravings start deep inside the body, often before we’re even aware of them.

• Dopamine: Our brains are wired to seek reward. Sugar and carbs release dopamine, the “feel-good” chemical, and some people (especially those with certain genetic variations) experience a stronger reward signal than others.
  

• Hormones: When blood sugar levels dip, hunger hormones like ghrelin rise, prompting us to seek quick energy. If your body struggles with insulin resistance, something South Asians are more prone to, that rollercoaster happens more often.

• Blood Sugar Swings: If meals spike your blood glucose, your body often responds with a crash, followed by a craving for something sweet to bring levels back up.

• Metabolic History: Generations of scarcity and famine shaped South Asian bodies to store energy quickly. That “thrifty” metabolism now makes us more sensitive to sugar highs and lows.

All of this means that your biology is already wired to push you toward sugar, carbs, or comfort foods, especially when energy levels are low or stress is high.

The Emotional Side of Cravings

But cravings aren’t just physical. They’re deeply emotional too, and that’s especially true for women and for South Asians.

• Comfort and Nostalgia: Many of us grew up associating sweets with love and affection. “Good grades? Have some mithai.” “Bad day? Here’s a bowl of fruit.” That pattern becomes a subconscious script.
  

• Stress Response: Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, increases appetite and makes us crave quick energy, often sugar and refined carbs.
  

• Cultural Cues: Food is how we connect, celebrate, and show love. Saying no can feel rude. Refusing dessert can feel like rejecting someone’s care and concern.
  

• Restriction Backlash: Diet culture teaches us to “cut out sugar”, which ironically makes us want it more. What we label as “forbidden” often becomes irresistible.

So while biology lights the spark, emotions often fan the flame.

The Intersection: Where Science Meets Story

Here’s the part no one told me: cravings are multi-layered. They’re not just genetic. They’re not just emotional. They’re a conversation between your hormones, habits, history, and heart.

And that’s why trying to “willpower” your way out of them rarely works.

It’s like trying to silence a fire alarm without putting out the fire.

What Works Instead

When I started focusing on blood sugar balance through how I ate, how I managed stress, and yes, with the help of Brown Body Reset, I noticed two significant changes:

1. Fewer Crashes led to Fewer Cravings
   Stable blood sugar = less dopamine-driven urgency for sugar.

2. Awareness = Power
   Once I understood that cravings were my body communicating, not sabotaging me, I could respond instead of reacting.

And that’s the fundamental shift: cravings don’t disappear overnight. But they do become more predictable, more manageable, and less emotional.

Final Thought

If you’ve ever felt ashamed of your cravings, please don’t. They’re not a weakness. They’re not proof that you “failed.”

They’re biology. They’re psychology. They’re survival.

And once you understand them, you can finally stop fighting your body and start working with it.

Learn more about what I’m working on - Brown Body Reset - and sign up to the waitlist!

And for once?

I wasn’t craving sugar.

The Old Me

Usually, travel means “treat yourself” mode to me.

I’d order a chocolate croissant for breakfast. Grab a chocolate at lunch. Ice cream, if I felt I deserved it from all the walking.

It wasn’t about hunger; it was about habit and cravings.

And those cravings weren’t a lack of willpower.

They’re biological signals shaped by genetics, hormones, stress, AND culture.

The New Me

This time felt different. With Brown Body Reset, my cravings and blood sugar felt balanced.

I didn’t feel pulled by the tempting pastries, cakes, or the late-night sugar rush.

I could walk by temptation without the urge to cave.

And the number of times I walked by this sign for a Dubai Chocolate sundae made me super proud, because damn it sounds tasty!

Was It Perfect? No.

Did I still feel bloated some nights? Yes.

Between all the sparkling water (I dislike tap water and tend to overdo it on sparkling water when traveling) and salty takeout meals (hello, sushi and gyro platters), my body retained water.

But that wasn’t a failure. It was just a reminder that health isn’t about chasing perfection.

It’s about knowing what’s working and what’s noise.

The Win

The weight loss wasn’t from all the walking.

The win was walking through NYC without sugar controlling me.

And for the first time, I felt like I had control, without shame, without restriction.

Sign up for the waitlist to learn more about Brown Body Reset.

Eat less, move more, lose the weight. Right?

But the more I learned, the more I realized this isn’t just about my habits.

It’s about history.

Our history.

South Asians carry a unique risk: more belly fat, more blood sugar issues, and higher rates of diabetes, even when we don’t look “overweight.”

And it isn’t random. It’s written in our DNA.

Something no doctor ever told me.

The Science of Brown Bodies

South Asians tend to:

• Store more fat around the belly (visceral fat - the kind that wraps around our organs)
  

• Have less muscle to burn energy
  

• Increased risk of blood sugar problems even at smaller body sizes
  

This means you can look “normal” in clothes and still be at higher risk for diabetes or heart disease.

But why?

The Shadow of Colonization and Famine

For generations, our ancestors survived under scarcity.

Famines, many made worse by colonial policies, meant our bodies had to adapt.

Our bodies learned to store fat quickly and hold onto it tightly.

But survival skills in scarcity become vulnerabilities in abundance.

Today, surrounded by rice, roti, sweets, and processed foods, the same biology that once saved us now works against us.

Culture + Modern Life

Layer on top of that:

• Carb-heavy diets centered on rice, breads, and sweets
  

• Family rules that make it rude to say no to food
  

• Office lifestyles with less movement
  

And you get the perfect storm: brown bodies that carry belly fat differently, often without warning signs until it’s too late.

Why This Matters to Me

When doctors told me I’d need yearly scans because of my risk for plaque in my arteries, I realized this wasn’t just about what I was eating today. It was about what my body inherited centuries ago.

Because no one told me this wasn’t just about weight. It was about how my body processes sugar, stress, and fat, things brown bodies carry differently.

But here’s what I refuse to accept:

That our history has to define our future.

We can respect where we came from and rewrite the story forward.

What I’m building will not erase calcification. However, it supports the root systems, blood sugar, cravings, and metabolism, which can help lower the risks of these silent killers: heart disease.

We’re Not Broken. We’re Built for Survival.

If you’ve ever felt confused by your cravings, your belly fat, your doctor’s vague advice, please know: your body isn’t weird or broken.

You are carrying history in your blood.

And now, you get to choose how to rewrite it.

When I turned 38, the doctors told me I’d need yearly testing on my arteries because of my genetic risk for plaque buildup.

That’s when I realized my body was built differently from my white friends.

That the fat accumulating around my belly was serious, not just vanity.

What My Doctor Never Said

They didn’t tell me that I store fat differently, especially around my belly.

They didn’t explain what visceral fat is: the fat that builds up around your organs.

It doesn’t always show. You can look “normal” in clothes and still carry high visceral fat.

They didn’t tell me I was at high risk for insulin resistance, diabetes, and heart disease because I’m South Asian.

And they for sure as hell didn’t tell me why I’m built differently, probably because they have no idea!

But I do now!

More on the reasons why, in a different post! Because it’s a lot to unpack.

The Risk No One Talks About

Studies show South Asians are up to four times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than white Americans.

We also develop heart disease at lower BMIs.

But we aren’t warned early.

We’re not screened differently.

We don’t even realize it until it’s too late.

What I’m Learning Now

• Belly fat isn’t only about overeating. It’s tied to genetics, hormones, and stress.
  

• Cortisol (our stress hormone) makes visceral fat worse.
  

• Diet culture didn’t solve it. Restriction and guilt just made me crave more.

Why I’m Writing This

I used to think belly fat was because I was lazy, overeating, or doing something wrong.

Now I know it’s hereditary, and more so, a quiet risk, especially for brown bodies.

And I don’t want anyone else to find out the way I did: in a doctor’s office, being told I’d need yearly scans because of my family history and genetics, without ever having been educated on why my body holds fat differently.

And if I say I’m full, she pouts.

She insists, “It’s just a little, it won’t hurt you.”

Most nights, I eat it.

Not out of hunger.

Not out of desire.

But because saying no feels like I’m rejecting her love.

The cycle repeats. And every time, I feel like I’ve failed.

Especially when I’m lying awake at 4am feeling uncomfortable. More on that in a later post!

Trying Something New

But last time, I tried something different.

Instead of polishing off the bowl of sweets, I took two bites and stopped.

Instead of saying “no” outright, I said:

“Can I take this home? I want to enjoy it tomorrow.”

My mom smiled, and she wrapped it up for me and added it to the stack of Tupperware containers she had already filled for me to take home!

And I felt, for the first time in years, that I had shifted the pattern without guilt, without shame.

Why This Matters

Breaking the sugar craving cycle isn’t about quitting sugar forever.

It isn’t about being “good” or hitting 21 days (the number of days they say it takes to break a habit) without chocolate.

It’s about finding tiny moments of control inside a system that feels stacked against us:

• Our bodies are wired for quick energy.

• Our culture is wired for hospitality through food.

• Our mind is wired for shame.

Every small shift…two bites instead of ten, tomorrow instead of tonight…tells my brain: I have a choice.

What I’m Learning

• Small wins add up. You don’t need perfection. You need progress.

• Boundaries can be kind. Saying “I’ll eat it tomorrow” honors love without self-sabotage.

• Cravings are information, not weakness. Sometimes I eat the sweets. Sometimes I don’t. Either way, I no longer attach shame to it.
  

Why I’m Sharing This

I don’t have it all figured out. I still give in more than I’d like.

But every time I practice one of these small wins, I feel a little lighter.

A little stronger. A little freer.

And I think that’s what real progress looks like.

What’s your story with sugar?

If you’ve ever felt trapped in the cycle of craving, caving, and shaming yourself—I’m writing this for you.

Join the waitlist for Brown Body Reset to follow along as I build something made for us.

Dinner didn’t end until dessert appeared: ice cream, a square of Cadbury, maybe a piece of pera (South Asian sweet). Even today, when I visit my parents, my mom will hand me a bowl of Häagen-Dazs Belgian Chocolate ice cream at 10 p.m. like it’s medicine.

And if I say it’s too late.

She pouts. She tells me it’s “just a little.”

Or she says, “You’ll be hungry later.”

So I eat it. Not because I’m hungry. Not because I want it.

But because I’ve been conditioned to believe sugar = love = safety.

The Belief

For years, I thought my sugar cravings were about discipline.

That I needed to be “stronger.”

That I was weak, addicted, dramatic.

But cravings aren’t just in your head.

They’re in your blood, your hormones, your stress levels, and your culture.

The Science of Cravings (Simple, True, and No BS)

1. Blood Sugar Spikes and Crashes

When you eat a carb-heavy meal (like rice, roti, or dessert), your blood sugar rises. Your body releases insulin to bring it back down.

But if your blood sugar drops too quickly, your brain panics. It craves fast sugar to “fix” the dip, often in the form of chocolate or sweets.

2. Stress and Cortisol

When you’re stressed, your body produces cortisol. This hormone pushes you to seek quick energy: hello, sugar.

It’s not a weakness. It’s survival biology.

3. Cultural Conditioning

If you grew up being rewarded with dessert or pressured to eat sweets at family gatherings, your brain hardwires sugar as comfort.

Even if you’re not hungry, you crave it because your body associates sugar with belonging, care, and love.

Science check: Studies show stress hormones (like cortisol) increase cravings for high-sugar foods (Harvard Health). And reactive blood sugar crashes can trigger sugar cravings even when you’ve eaten enough (Mayo Clinic).

What I Wish I Knew Earlier

• Cravings aren’t evidence of failure.
  

• Skipping meals or eating “light” all day often leads to stronger nighttime cravings.
  

• You don’t have to cut sugar forever to feel better; you just need balance and awareness.
  

• You can build systems that work with your biology, not against it.
  

Why I’m Writing This

I’m still unlearning the idea that I have to earn dessert or feel guilty if I say no.

If you’ve ever eaten chocolate in secret, skipped dinner to “be good,” or stared at a Cadbury bar like it was the enemy…I see you.

Your cravings aren’t moral failures.

They’re chemical reactions.

And they can be managed with compassion, not shame.

I ordered a turkey Subway sandwich—6-inch, whole wheat, no cheese. All the vegetables.

It made me feel disciplined. In control. Like I was doing something “right.”

Then I’d walk by the Lindt store.

Just walk by.

Until one night, I stopped.

The Pattern:

I told myself I was hungry.

I deserved one treat.

That a few chocolates wouldn’t hurt.

So I bought a bag of truffles.

Ate one on the escalator.

Another in the elevator.

Three more by the time I reached my hotel room.

Then I’d sit on the bed, bloated, slightly sick, and completely ashamed.

I’d tell myself I’d be better tomorrow.

And the cycle would begin again.

What I Didn’t Know:

• That turkey sandwich wasn’t giving me enough fat or protein to stabilize my blood sugar.
  

• The sugar crash afterward made me crave quick glucose, like chocolate.
  

• The stress from travel and corporate pressure kept my cortisol high, which made me hungrier, even when I wasn’t truly hungry.
  

• The shame made me eat faster. Hide the wrappers. Start the next day with guilt.

This wasn’t a lack of willpower.

It was a biological response to a system I didn’t understand.

Why I’m Writing This

I’m not here to demonize chocolate.

Or Subway.

Or carbs.

I was never told to “eat light.”

I was told to finish my plate.

To take seconds.

To never say no to my auntie’s samosas or my mom’s mandazi.

But I was also told I was fat.

I should lose weight.

That I’d never get married if I didn’t “do something about it.”

No one taught me what insulin resistance was.

No one explained why I craved sugar even after a full meal.

No one said that belly fat could be hormonal, genetic, or trauma-held.

I was expected to be thin, but never taught how to be healthy.

This Newsletter Is My Undoing of That

I’m unlearning the systems that failed me and rebuilding something that honors our cravings, culture, and chemistry.

If you’ve ever eaten in secret, punished your body, or wondered why you can’t “just stop”, stay with me.

You’re not broken.

You’re not weak.

You’re responding exactly the way your body was designed to.

P.S. I’m working on something big.

Please take my survey

Thanks!

Any, my biggest challenge was ensuring my buttons agreed.

It was my first job out of college. Consulting. Which meant hotel rooms, client lunches, and surviving on a $100 per diem, which to me was glamorous. I was 22 years old and ordering room service at the Marriott every night - penne pasta and a glass of wine.

One day, the team went to lunch together. I was wearing a crisp, pink Ralph Lauren button-down, you know the one. Preppy. Clean. Power girl vibes.

Except one of the buttons over my chest had popped open. No one told me.

Not through lunch.

Not during meetings.

Not for hours.

Eventually, my manager pulled me into a conference room.

I thought I was about to be praised for my work.

Instead, she said she was writing me up.

“Indecent exposure.”

Because a button popped open over my chest.

Over a fully-covered bra. At a lunch she attended.

This Is What Stress Looked Like:

I didn’t cry. I apologized. I nodded. I promised to “be more careful.”

Then I went back to my hotel room, where I stayed every week while traveling between Boston and Stamford, and I made a plan.

• No more free room service.

• No more “bad” foods.

• No more embarrassment.

That night, I walked laps around the mall across the street.

I ate a Subway sandwich (because I’d seen Jared lose weight doing that).

Then I stopped by the Lindt store and bought a bag of truffles.

And ate them. Fast. Before I could feel guilty. Before I got too sick.

This was my routine:

Trying to be good.

Failing.

Shaming myself.

Repeating.

The Button Wasn’t the Problem.

I wasn’t overeating because I was lazy.

I wasn’t craving sugar because I lacked willpower.

I was stressed, ashamed, and trying to hold myself together, literally.

No one told me back then that chronic stress raises cortisol, and cortisol tells your body to store fat in your belly.

No one said to me that traveling weekly, sleeping poorly, and eating in secret weren’t just habits, they were symptoms.

No one told me my body wasn’t broken.

It was responding to a life that was out of sync with what it needed.

I’m Telling You Now.

If you’ve ever unbuttoned your pants under your desk.

Or skipped lunch because your blouse was too tight.

Or eaten chocolate in your room to feel something that wasn’t loneliness.

You’re not alone.

You’re not wrong.

And you don’t need to fix yourself, you need a system that wasn’t built to shame you in the first place.

P.S. I’m working on something big.

Are you open to taking a survey? → Google Survey

I stepped on the scale.

The nurse looked at the number, 100 pounds, then looked at me and said, “Boys always weigh more.”

When she realized I was a girl, she told me I was fat.

That moment stamped itself on my body.

And it didn’t stop there.

I’ve been called fat by aunties, by classmates, by strangers, and even by my mom, who, despite her love, dragged me from nutritionist to personal trainer in hopes of “fixing me.”

She’d take me to the gym… then feed me biryani and jalebi afterward.

It wasn’t cruelty. It was culture.

At a party during my master’s program at UPenn, a classmate told me I was fat in front of my cohort. I smiled through it. Laughed it off. I always do.

But inside, I made a decision:

I needed more than Weight Watchers.

I needed to understand my body so that I could love it.

What I’ve Learned Since:

I started studying nutrition.

Reading research.

Testing supplements.

And slowly, I began to realize something:

So much of what I’ve been blamed for isn’t my fault.

• Not the belly fat.

• Not the sugar cravings.

• Not the energy crashes.

As South Asians, we carry:

• Genetic risk for insulin resistance

• Higher rates of visceral fat even at “normal” weights

• Centuries of colonization that erased our original food systems

Nobody talks about this.

Not our doctors.

Not our parents.

Not the wellness industry.

What You’ll Find Here:

This newsletter is where I’ll share:

• What worked for me (and what didn’t)

• The science behind blood sugar, cravings, and belly fat

• Personal stories I’ve never said out loud, until now

I’m doing this for the 10-year-old me on the scale.

For every girl who was told she’d never get married if she stayed “fat.”

For every brown woman who looked in the mirror and thought something was wrong with her.

Join Me

If you’ve ever felt dismissed, ashamed, confused, or unseen, I hope you’ll stay.

Subscribe.

Comment.

Tell me your story.

Shereen

P.S. I’m working on something big.

Please take my survey

Thanks!