Hi folks,
Because of your amazing feedback from last year's Ramadan blog posts that mainly focused on reviewing the various Iftar and Suhoor spots, I was super inspired this year to share with you on a daily basis (to the best of my ability) my fasting journey for the next 29-30 days. My personal aim from this is to continue sharing with you my experiences from visiting the various Ramadan Iftar and Suhoor outlets, and also, to hopefully inspire you (and myself) in making our fasting journey easier, as well as clear out some misconceptions that may be out there.
To kick off this daily log, I thought of sharing with you my personal Ramadan survival tool kit. Over the past years, I have thankfully managed to fast all days of Ramadan, and it is of my intention to continue doing so this year. Here is how I try to get through the day:
Don't focus on what you're fasting from
The holy month of Ramadan is not about preventing yourself from eating nor drinking, so don't make it about that. I always see others who are fasting constantly reminding themselves with how hungry or thirsty they are, or with how much time is left for them to break the fast. Instead of doing this, I found it easier to shift my focus towards other matters, and manage finishing them during my fasting hours that I am free during, and before I realize it, it's already Iftar time.
Stay well hydrated during non-fasting hours
This year, we will be fasting for around 15 hours a day. Thirst is always a big challenge for many. The way I try to overcome this is by drinking A LOT of water during the non-fasting hours to compensate and keep my body balanced. A LOT of water shouldn't be measured by glasses, it should be measured by liters, and my recommended dosage is 3 - 4.5L per day (that's 2 - 3 large bottles of water, yes that much!). Not only has this reduced the chances of me feeling thirsty in the past, but it has kept me from feeling dizzy, and having throbbing headaches.
Avoid having food during Suhoor that is high in salt or sugar content
Consuming food that is high in salt (sodium) or sugar will result in you feeling more thirsty. The reason for this is because from a biological aspect, salt and sugar alter your blood composition in a way that releases fluids (water) from your body cells. Instead, what I recommend having for Suhoor are meals that are rich in fiber (personal choice would be Quinoa Salad) because its digestion is slow and will also result in releasing water into the body during the process, thus not only leaving me less thirsty, but less hungry during the fasting hours.
Dress light, and in light colors
It's the summer in case you haven't noticed, and it will be scorching hot. Therefore, excessive sweating is inevitable, which will result in you being more dehydrated. As much as possible, lighten up with how you dress, and pick lighter colors as darker ones absorb heat more. This strategy should also be adopted during the evenings, so I don't know about you, but my shorts collection is definitely coming out!
Shower first thing in the morning, and stay clear from the sun
Again, hotter (and sweatier) days are upon us (up to 50-52 degrees). What I have observed from past experience is that if I take a shower before heading out to work, I tend to feel less thirsty during that day. I'm not sure if this has an explanation to it, but I am surely trying it out again this year. One thing for certain though, no direct sun exposure for me (as best as I can) for the next month!
Avoid coffee
Coffee, as much as it will be missed during Ramadan, will result in the body dehydrating more. My fitness trainer once told me that for every glass of coffee consumed, I must compensate it with 3 glasses of water. I guess the same rule applies to fasting.
That's all what I got so far! Do you have any other tips of your own that you'd like to share? How do you carry yourself during the day while fasting? I'd love to hear your feedback. Until tomorrow, I wish you a good one!
Ramadan Kareem :)
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