Ramadan 2023: Festivity is in the air, as the holy month of Ramadan starts with a lot of zest and zeal among the devotees. This month-long festivity concludes with the celebration of Eid, which is all about spreading happiness and togetherness. You can’t conceive of celebrations without good food. However, this celebration is more about observing a month long austerious fast followed by a lavish evening meal called iftaar.
It is a common belief that people often drop weight after observing fasts, but it also depends on the food that you relish after completion of your day-long fast. So, if you consume more oily as well as fatty foods, you will end up putting on weight.
In reality, some individuals tend to gain weight during the holy month of Ramadan, and this can be due to various reasons such as consuming fat-rich foods, decrease in the activity level and certain health issues. Well, one thing that cannot be ruled out is that weight gain or weight loss during this period is very easily attainable with just a little bit of diet management.
Here’s how you can control your weight during Ramadan
Drink water: This natural gift of nature can help you in keeping hydrated throughout the day. Hence drinking water in the non-fasting hours is the best way to remain fit. It further helps in maintaining the electrolyte equilibrium of the body. Thereby, reducing the acid influx in the body produced due to the day-long fasts.
Organise your meal: After the day-long fast, Iftaar is the most awaited time of the day, wherein the complete family comes together to break their fast. Hence, the food prepared for iftaar is typically rich and are loaded with calories to make for the complete day of fasting. So, even if you prepared rich food, you can begin the iftaar with fruits, salads or soups, this will satiate your hunger pangs and you will end up consuming less of rich foods, leading to less acummlation of belly fat.
Manage your portions: To prevent being overweight, limit your eating! That’s the secret to long-term weight control, then. After the day-long fast, it becomes very challenging to keep it under control. Therefore, the best course of action is to make small portions so that you can enjoy each delicacy while still eating in moderation and preventing weight gain.
Refuse packaged drinks: When quenching their thirst, many people choose aerated and sweetened beverages because they seem to provide an instant fix, particularly when they’re on the go. Well, this causes bloating, and drinking just one tumbler of the beverage undoes the day’s worth of calories lost. Therefore, it is preferable to choose freshly extracted juice as it includes the proper amount of nutrients, sugar, and fibre that helps to improve the body’s metabolism.
Choose your food wisely: This is one of the main causes of the mysterious weight increase that occurs during the holy month of Ramadan. So choosing healthy foods like low-fat dairy, lean meats, fresh vegetables, and multi-grain flour is the best way to control your health and weight during the fasts.
Healthy way of cooking: Choosing a healthy cooking method is a crucial way to reduce the number of calories in the meal. For iftaar, a lot of people around the globe prepare fried and rich meat dishes, which causes more weight gain. As a result, choosing other culinary methods like roasting, grilling, or baking can help you consume fewer calories.
Regular exercise: Fasting without consuming any food or liquids can actually make you feeble. So, doing brief activities can help you maintain your fitness throughout the month. Walking after dinner is the best way to control your weight because it aids in digestion.
