Ramadan: How to break your fast, not your scale

Ramadan requires that people abstain from food from dawn till dusk. Naturally, it is a time for people to lose a bit of weight but ironically that isn’t the case for many. Fasting is a great opportunity for spiritual strength as well as an avenue to practising self-restraint. It is also an excellent opportunity to […]

Ramadan requires that people abstain from food from dawn till dusk. Naturally, it is a time for people to lose a bit of weight but ironically that isn’t the case for many. Fasting is a great opportunity for spiritual strength as well as an avenue to practising self-restraint. It is also an excellent opportunity to shed that extra pound of excess fat.
It is normal for people to always rush for food as soon as the call to prayer is heard. It is a given that one would be hungry and would want to eat, but unfortunately overeat.
Over eating is the fastest way to gain weight. When a large meal is hurriedly eaten our blood sugar level increases. Our body realizes this and in response quickly secrets lots of insulin to bring the blood sugar levels back down. When it does this, the extra sugar from the process is stored as fat, which is bad.
Instead, eat small portions of healthy meals through the evening and early morning before fast starts at dawn as it will keep your metabolism level standard and also maintain a balanced blood sugar level.
The misconception people have is that the more we eat during Sahur the more energy we have to take us through the day. This farce is absolutely false, Sahur is meant to give a boost needed for the day.
Another point is we hurriedly rush to eat food forgetting that our body needs to rehydrate after the long break from food and water. Our body requires water quicker than food but for most of us it is the reverse.
The wise thing to do is to rehydrate your body system by first drinking water and that it should be done slowly. We should drink enough water and to help drink more of it we could make lemon water by adding a few slices of lemon in the water. This helps in cutting excess weight gradually especially at the mid region area of the body.
It is also important to note that we break our fast with foods that will aid weight loss. Eat food low in carbohydrate, but with more protein and vegetables. Let your meal contain the following foods: Fish, chicken, and vegetables like cabbage, cucumber, spinach and any greens.
Fruits should also not be left out examples are water melon, pine apple, oranges, banana, grapes, pawpaw and any other fruit in season.
Try to stay away from sugars, carbohydrate, cakes, sweets, carbonated drinks known as soft drinks.  Instead go for natural fruit juices and not the packaged ones. Zobo, Kunun Aya, as well as Ginger Drinks are excellent substitutes for carbonated drinks. If you have a sweet tooth, dates are there to save the day. They can be used as sweetener when blending juices.
Abuja based Dietician Maryam Aliyu Musa says just like the rules stipulated earlier with suūr, at ifār, “Eat just enough to stop your hunger pangs, and always moderate your intake and choose healthy meals rich in nutritious value. If you’re serious about losing weight during Ramadan, then you need to get serious about how much you allow yourself to eat at night time which most of us tend to consume all we can lay our hands on.”
Another tip is to break your fast with freshly squeezed lemon juice in room temperature water. This will aid your immune system and help eliminate toxin build-up that naturally occurs when you are more sedentary. Don’t eat just yet — go for a cup of green tea next — without sugar, of course. Then you can start your meal with pure protein, such as fish or chicken. This is because your body is constantly protecting your two major organs: your brain and your heart.
In order to function properly, your brain needs healthy fat, and your heart needs protein. If your body receives carbohydrates first, a “message” about a potential lack of fat and protein is sent to your digestive system, and you will store more “fat” for use later. Hence, the easiest way to prevent weight gain and to promote weight loss is to start your meal with pure protein, or foods which have a low impact on your blood sugar levels.
If these simple steps are taken one is sure not to break the scales but rather lose weight in a healthy way this Ramadan.