Ramadan Mubarak to all my muslim sisters (and brothers who read these, thank you). My title is a little dramatic but the Holy month is upon us and today I am sharing with you all the tips I have learned to stay healthy during Ramadan. A few Ramadan’s ago, I was working a crazy stressful job. I was on my feet for 12 hours a day, fasting, and I lost an extreme amount of weight. It was the skinniest I have ever gotten in my life (goodbye muscles) and I promised myself I would figure out a way to fast and stay healthy at the same time.
For all my non Muslim friends who have read this far and are wondering what is Ramadan? Well….Ramadan is the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. Muslims don’t eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. I could write a whole blog post dedicated to what Ramadan is, but this article explains it better than I ever will https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-ramadan-2004619.
Here are my few tips for a healthy Ramadan:
- Drink A LOT of Water
From sunset to sunrise, drink water. Lots of it. Break your fast with water. Your body needs water. I can’t believe some people break their fasts with Soda (yuck). It will honestly help you during the day when you’re fasting, if you drink lots of water at night. So please, drink water!
2. Wake up for Suhoor
Please wake up for Suhoor and have a healthy breakfast. Lots of protein, carbs, veggies, and healthy fats. I know it can be hard to wake up, but Suhoor breakfast fuels your body with energy for the day. Just think about it, if you’re not waking up then your body is living off the food from the day before, which is super unhealthy. Ramadan will become easier on your body if you fuel it properly. Wake up, eat, pray, go back to sleep.
3. Do not consume junk food
This is the perfect month to cut off all types of bad food you are having. Your body NEEDS healthy fats, fruits, veggies, lean meats, and healthy carbs for energy when you’re fasting during the day. What you eat will fuel you up. You will stay stronger and fuller longer if you eat healthy at night. If you have unhealthy foods, you will feel slugish, tired, and hungry. Not only will you become healthier, but you’ll also save a ton of money. Just cut off the bad stuff, your body will thank you at the end of the month.
4. Casein Protein
My biggest Ramadan hack. This special kind of Protein is slowly released into your blood stream. It provides nutrients to your muscles and it helps you feel fuller for longer. I recommend having a scoop of casein protein during Suhoor, along with your breakfast. You can purchase Casein protein at any health food stores.
5. Workout
This is a tricky one. I know some people who can fast and kill a workout during the afternoon and feel fine. I personally recommend working out either right before Iftar or an hour after. If you’re going to workout during the day, keep the workouts light. Some body weight exercises or stretches are great to do.
I hope these tips will help you stay healthy during the month of Ramadan. If you have any questions feel free to send me a message or comment below!
Until next post xo
The Comments
Carolyn
Great post Farida! I have always been extremely curious about Ramadan. My son Alexander once worked with two Muslim twin brothers at a landscaping company. Ramadán fell during the summer, Alexander was full of admiration for their self discipline. They called him “habibi”. (Spelling?)