Every year during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar 1.6 billion Muslims all around the world start Ramadan which is 29-30 days of Sawm or fasting. It’s also a time for prayer, reflection and community.

Muslims all around the world will fast from sunrise to sunset unless they have a reason not to due to being pregnant, elderly, very young or diabetic for example.

You would think a lot of people lose weight during this time of year right?

wrong.

A lot of folks actually gain weight during Ramadan.

Why is that exactly?

going without water and food for several hours leaves you feeling very tired during the day so you tend to be less active. if you’re less active you burn less energy.

then night comes along when you’re really hungry and thirsty and then you’re presented with lots of very tasty home cooked foods often high in calories (TYPICALLY FOODS HIGHer IN FAT AND SUGAR).

THIS MAKES IT very EASY TO ‘go to town’ and tuck in without realising before you go to bed later YOU’ve eaten more calories than YOU’ve burnt in the day. Do this for long enough and you’ll gain weight mis amigos. in a month you can easily gain a few kilos. Do this over decades and you can see how it can be a problem.

The hardest thing about fasting during Ramadan is not the lack of food it’s actually the dehydration. Imagine living somewhere like Sudan or the middle east and not being able to drink for 13 hours.

Not easy and super draining on the body.

This is why I suggest hydrating and eating a nutritious meal for the pre dawn meal.

At your pre dawn meal you ideally want to

Eat a meal high in nutrients to keep you as energised through the day and feeling as good as possible.
Eat something with a good fibre content to keep you fuller for longer and maintain good gut health.
Eat a meal high in protein to keep you feeling fuller for longer and provide your body with essential amino acids. I can’t prove this but I’ve seen with many clients of mine that eating A breakfast rich in protein can help them eat less later on.
Hydrate as much as possible to try to mitigate the dehydration during the daylight hours.

Examples of pre dawn meals?

Obviously drink plenty of water or herbal teas etc before dawn but as far as food IS CONCERNED here are some examples that i think are DECENT.

Omelette with vegetables on some wholemeal toast.

I think omelettes are great because they tick a lot of boxes.

Eggs are an awesome source of a fairly cheap complete protein and are very nutritious.
Vegetables provide fibre and micronutrients. Choose the ones you like. I love mushrooms and red peppers.
Wholemeal bread has good amounts of fibre to keep you full and maintain a healthy gut.
They’re super versatile and quite easy to cook.

Another good option is Greek yoghurt or Skyr with fruit and oats.

Oats are nutritious and have a good amount of fibre to keep you fuller for longer.
Fruit has plenty of vitamins and micronutrients and fibre to keep you FEELING as energised as IS possible.
Greek yoghurt like Fage or Skyr are high in quality protein that will keep you fuller for longer and it is nutritious and may have benefits for your gut health.
Again it’s versatile too as you can add fruits etc that you enjoy.

Breaking the fast (Iftar)

Drink plenty of water first!

So you’ve spent all day without food and drink and you’re very hungry, tired and thirsty. The first thing to do is drink water. Have a few glasses. you’ve spent many hours without water and you will be dehydrated. Furthermore, the water in your stomach will help you to not eat as much in the evening and therefore avoid overeating. As a general rule, it’s best to drink liquids that are calorie-free (water, infusions, tea, sugar-free sodas and coffee ideally without sugar) as SUGARY DRINKS are often associated with weight gain.

Eat slowly and chew your food

I realise that it is difficult but it’s best to try to eat slowly and chew your food properly. Why? Because it takes time for your stomach to communicate to your brain that it is full. Precision nutrition sum it up WELL with this quote below.

‘The benefits of slow eating include better digestion, better hydration, easier weight loss or maintenance, and greater satisfaction with our meals. Meanwhile, eating quickly leads to poor digestion, increased weight gain, and lower satisfaction. The message is clear: Slow down your eating and enjoy improved health and well-being’

Do some light exercise if possible in the evening or morning before your pre dawn meal if you feel up to it.

If you can TRY doing a bit of walking or some at home resistance exercises AS IT mAY help you feel a bit more energised and burn a bit of energy, and get stronger which will help with preventing weight gain. The best times to do it would be before your pre dawn meal or after your evening meal as you’ll probably have more energy then. You could also spread out some small exercises throughOUT the day. just avoid things that will make you sweat a lot.

If possible try to walk with friends and family in the evening or maybe play a game with your children and relatives etc. just try to be active!

A simple routine at home could be

5-20 Air squats
Plank - 20-60s
Glute bridges 10-20 reps
Band pull aparts 10-30 reps
Bird dog 10-20 on each side

Do it 2-4 times. It shouldn’t make you sweat a lot but done everyday for 30 days it will add up to a lot.

Try to educate yourself on which foods are higher in calories and which are LOWER

I’m not going to be naive and tell you not to eat the traditional foods that your mum or granny make etc and tell you just to eat salad and chicken. but I think it’s important to be aware of the foods that are high in calories and ones that are lower. TRY TO GET THE CHEFS OF THE HOUSE INVOLVED TOO AND FIND WAYS OF MAKING THINGS A BIT LESS SUGARY OR OILY. Read the labels on the back of foods and see which things are high in calories. Just the awareness alone will help everyone.

By knowing this not only can you enjoy the traditional iftar foods from your country but also be conscious of your health and weight. dates and nuts are nutritious but they’re also fairly high in calories. just to show you it in real life i’ve broken it down below. I’m not trying to say mcdonalds is more healthy but energy is energy and if you don’t burn it it all goes to the same place.

STORED AS FAT ON THE BODY.

1 date (medjool) = 66kcals.

I don’t know about you but i can easily eat 6 dates. that’s 396kcals which is 40kcals more than a mcchicken sandwich. for many people this is 1/5 of the energy they will burn in the whole day.

Be conscious of foods that are deep fried, oily, high in sugar or honey, contain lots of nuts or dates. and try to avoid sugary drinks like sodas, vimto and sugary teas. These will typically be higher in calories and therefore not so friendly for weight loss AS IT’S EASY TO DRINK LOTS OF CALORIES.

things like fish, lean meat, greek yoghurt, salads, boiled and steamed vegetables, fruit, beans and chick peas are more favourable for fat loss and maintaining healthy weight. Drinks like water, herbal teas, sugar free soda and sugar free tea are best.

lastly. try not to stuff yourself full and remember that it lasts a month

in okinawa japan (where people tend to live long lives) they have a phrase ‘ hara hachi bu’ which roughly translates to ‘eat till you’re 8 parts full’ Try to incorporate this mindset for life and especially during ramadan and be modest. Lastly, remember that tomorrow brings another day where you can have some more tasty foods. ;)

ramadan mubarak my friends.

i hope you find this helpful.

peace.

How to stay full and not gain weight during Ramadan?