Body Over Mind

THE ROAD TO WEIGHT GAIN is paved with good intentions: That’s the harsh reality of what happens to many people during Ramadan. We all know it isn’t healthy to shy away from exercising in Ramadan, and we all start the Holy Month vowing to miss as few workout sessions as possible. But after a long day of working and fasting, especially following a heavy iftar, drowsing on the couch in front of the television sounds like the perfect way to spend the rest of the evening.

Who wants to go to the gym and shake that newly acquired belly on a stair-master or elliptical trainer?

Unfortunately, if you give in to the urge to stay in, the result will be a sizeable gain in weight by the Eid. So here are some tried and tested tips to keep you moving this Ramadan:

If you have the privilege of not having to take care of kids and prepare iftar, opt to exercise right before the call to prayer and iftar. Working out at this time of the day will drive away the hunger pangs, keep your mind off the iftar waiting for you at home, and even if you feel thirsty, you know that release from all your cravings is a few minutes away. Just make certain you don’t overdo it and become so dehydrated you need to break your fast for health reasons.

Mohsen Allam

The Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) had a few dates and some milk right after the azaan and delayed his meal until after prayers. If you want to exercise after iftar, opt for some dates and soup, and then go do your workout. You will have more stamina to exercise this way — and your stomach will have the chance to calm down after a long day’s fasting. To build muscle, chow down on protein-heavy food with healthy carbohydrates within an hour of your workout.

If you are not the type to delay eating a big meal until later, then the best time to exercise for you would be following the tarawih prayers. The prayers, a form of gentle exercise, can help your body snap out of its food-induced lethargy, preparing it for more strenuous exercise later. Plus, you’ll be exercising a couple of hours after eating, which many physiologists recommend.

The following suggestion is not for the faint-hearted: If mornings are the only time you can fit in your exercise regimen, try to eat a very late and well-balanced sohour. Although exercising without having a bottle of water close by is unthinkable to most, some manage. In fact, many trainers only advise against it if you are very frail or suffer from a medical condition.

Even if you are not a member of a gym or sports center, it is important that you find time and stamina for some form of exercise during Ramadan, even if it’s only a 30-minute walk around the club’s track before or after iftar. In fact, for those with very busy schedules, walking could be the best answer: As the weather starts improving, try parking the car a little farther than you usually do, or give it up completely on some days and take short walks to run your errands or to go to the mosque. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, going up quickly for a cardio workout, and climb the stairs two at a time for a great stretching exercise. (MJ)

THERE’S A HUGE difference between theory and practice when it comes to the Holy Month. All Muslims know that Ramadan is supposed to be 30 days of spirituality and self-sacrifice, a chance for one to cleanse both body and soul, but the majority of us tend to do just the opposite. From a health standpoint, what actually takes place during Ramadan is quite frightening.

As soon as the hilal (crescent moon) has been spotted and the announcement of the start of Ramadan has been made, we all switch into ‘fasting mode,’ which usually means three things: gastronomic overindulgence, sleep deprivation and marathon television viewing.

The result of this assault on the system usually leads to chronic fatigue, headaches, indigestion, constipation and for many an ‘inexplicable’ 3-4 kilo weight gain by month’s end. Not exactly the normal outcome of a 30-day fast.

Nutritionists and religious experts alike strongly urge those who fast to follow a few simple guidelines that can make Ramadan a more spiritual and healthy month.

The first rule to follow is never try to cram 24 hours worth of food into your body within 4–6hours. It will overload the system, wreaking havoc on digestion, metabolism and blood sugar levels. It is also unwise to voraciously dig into an iftar filled with rich, fried and fat-laden foods on the justification that, “I’ve been fasting all day and I deserve to indulge.” You cannot consume your total daily calorie allowance in one meal and expect to retain your current weight level. Calorie intake must be spread out, which can be a little tricky during Ramadan.

Dieticians recommend that the fast be broken gradually. Many even claim that having a drink (fruit juice and water) and a light snack at sunset, then waiting one to two hours for a full meal is a very healthy practice. It gives your system a chance to adjust after going up to 12 hours without processing nutrients. What’s more, it’s Sunnah to eat tamr (dried dates) at sunset, perform the evening prayer and then start with the main meal or iftar. This is one Sunnah, however, that many people choose to ignore, making a beeline for the sambousek and mahshi before the muezzin has even finished saying “Allahu Akbar!”

Dried dates, or any dried fruits, for that matter, are considered ideal for Ramadan. Dried fruit is an excellent source of sugar, fiber, carbohydrates, potassium and magnesium and should be included as an essential part of the evening meal (either as dessert or appetizer) rather than a television viewing snack to nibble on after the kunafa and before the late-night basboussa.

Desserts are perhaps one of the worst enemies of good health and nutrition during Ramadan. In addition to being high in calories and cholesterol, they spike blood-sugar levels to alarming highs and should be particularly avoided by those with diabetes or a family history of the disease. Although it may be difficult to completely avoid sugary delicacies this month, it is wise to eat them in moderation.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are often completely forgotten during Ramadan. Including all four food groups in your diet is essential. It is also a good idea to consume slow-digesting and fiber-rich foods so that you don’t wake up feeling hungry in the morning. These include whole-wheat breads and pastas, beans, lentils, bran, wheat germ, green beans, peas, spinach and almonds. Since few of us are disciplined enough to strictly monitor our nutritional intake during Ramadan, vitamin supplements — particularly a comprehensive multivitamin —are a good idea.

Water intake should also be taken note of: With the amount of tea, a diuretic, that is consumed between dusk and dawn, dehydration is a serious problem for many, who simply forget to drink water and can go for days without having a single glass. For those who suffer from severe caffeine withdrawal symptoms during Ramadan, doctors recommend that caffeine intake gradually be reduced two to three weeks before the start of Ramadan (a tip to remember for next year) so as to minimize the headaches that result from a sudden drop in caffeine levels.

While many choose to bypass sohour because they feel that they may have overindulged during their extended post-iftar waking hours, this is not a good idea. A light sohour, which could be a glass of water and a piece of fruit or yoghurt, is an important energy booster that can keep you from feeling excessively lethargic the next day.

It may be difficult to maintain your normal exercise routine during Ramadan, but it is not necessary to forgo physical activity all together. Fitness specialists recommend low-impact exercise while fasting that will not lead to excessive sweating and dehydration. Yoga, pilates, stretching, and swimming are all good options. These may be performed either early in the morning while energy levels are still up or right before iftar so that one may eat or drink directly afterwards. High impact exercise should never be performed while fasting.

With a bit of discipline and self-restraint, Ramadan need not be the 30-day marathon of gluttony that it has become. It is a perfect opportunity to detox your body, kick a bad habit, or lose a few pounds. (HM)

TE’DAMENY loosely translates as “over my dead body.” In my dictionary, that single word — uttered by many a hostess as she plunks down that fat-oozing slice of roqaq or monstrous serving of butter-laden macaroni bechamel — signals the imminent onset of calories, heartburn and indigestion. While it’s generally considered rude not to sample every single dish at the feast, if you multiply the number of calories by 30 days, the figures simply add up too fast.

But even if you aren’t concerned about your waistline (which you should be), you should at least be thinking of your health. Many people come out of Ramadan several kilos heavier, most of it in the belly — the absolute worst place to gain weight, as that kind of fat is metabolically active and can influence the way your body processes sugars and other nutrients, hiking your risk of diabetes and heart disease.

So, what should a healthy iftar include? Read on:

Dates: When fasting, a person relies on the sugar in the body, particularly the liver. After roughly six hours (about the time of sohour) the body starts breaking down sugar in the liver. Unlike other sugar-filled food and drinks which take much longer to be absorbed, dates are rich in monosaccharides which travel quickly to the liver and pass into the bloodstream — great for fasters but not a good idea for diabetics. But this is not all. Dates are also known to be high in carbs (giving you energy), vitamins B and D, calcium, phosphorous, iron (to combat anemia) and rennin (which aids the flexibility of blood vessels). Rich in fructose, they are also known as an antidote to constipation, are active against allergies (as they contain significant levels of zinc) and reduce acidity and heartburn.

Juice: All juices help correct water balance in the body and the sugars they contain are sufficient to give a much-needed shot of energy. See our 5 Minute Guide on page 194 for a breakdown of traditional Ramadan juices and their health benefits.

Soup: Like juice, it also helps maintain balance of both water and minerals in the body. Avoid rich creamy soups, such as creams of onion, mushroom or tomato, as they may be too much for the body to cope with at first, opting instead for chicken broth or soup with noodles, orzo or vermicelli. Not only is it easier to digest, it will also fill your stomach and will give you enough strength to go to prayers. Another option (and all-time Ramadan favorite) is lentil soup which, though richer than some, also comes chock-full of healthy ingredients such as onion, tomato and carrot (rich in vitamins) and, of course, lentils, which tend to fill the stomach without making you feel you’ve just eaten a horse. Team with one or two chunks of crusty, whole-wheat bread, which will also boost your energy levels.

Yogurt: Being essentially made of benign bacteria, it has incredible benefits when it comes to digestion. It is also known for its cleansing properties, which can expedite treatment of an upset stomach, and a daily dose of 2000 mg helps you dodge the absorption of as many as 60 calories. Although making yogurt every day at home is fast going out of fashion, studies indicate that store-bought yogurt, which has a slightly longer shelf life, isn’t as good for you. The culprit? Lactose, which is found in many milk products, but which some people (especially Europeans and Latinos) find difficult to digest. Lactose, however, is not found in yogurt that has not been fully fermented (less than 24 hours), like the kind made at home. Most often eaten at sohour, yogurt can also find its way onto the iftar table as a condiment flavored with dried mint and garlic.

Fuul: It takes pride of place on both the iftar and sohour tables, and rightly so. The so-called ‘kebab of the nation’ has been a favorite national dish since the time of the Pharaohs and can be found in abundance — fresh, dried or canned. It goes without saying that this is the cheapest source of protein on the market. One cup of fuul has only 187 calories, a small price to pay for the 12.9 g of protein and 33.4 g of carbohydrates that have a stomach-filling effect and act as an excellent energizer. There’s only 0.68 g of fat in a cup of cooked beans and 9.2 g of fiber. Fuul also contains thiamine, zinc and folate. Many people complain fuul gives them flatulence, but you can avoid that, either by blanching the beans (soak well for 12-24 hours before cooking) or by blending cooked beans, processing and then draining them to get rid of the skin, which is usually quite tough and difficult to digest. Added cumin, which many use to flavor fuul along with lemon, is actually great for fighting flatulence.

Nuts: A myth says that you shouldn’t eat nuts, as they are high in fat. But the truth is: do everything in moderation. The body needs fats to survive. That said, unlike fats found in animals (which can contribute to heart disease), fats found in nuts including almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts have actually been found to lower one’s chances of a heart attack. Which is not to say you should eat too many of them. A handful is generally agreed as the best serving amount for daily intake. They are high in fats, but happily these fats are unsaturated. Almonds and walnuts in particular both have a positive effect on balancing blood cholesterol levels. Nuts help the heart by keeping blood vessels open, thereby preventing clotting. Nuts in general (and walnuts in particular) are high in alpha-linolenic acid, an essential omega fatty acid that protects the heart and regulates circulation. They’re also a good source of dietary fiber, magnesium, folic acid (especially important for pregnant women), vitamin E, potassium and protein.

Sweets: It may feel like committing a sin, but they are not so bad for you if consumed in small (make that miniscule) quantities. In fact, the super-concentrated syrup found in most Oriental desserts such as basboussa, baklawa and kunafa is a high source of glucose as well, of course, of fats. If you’re taking just the one piece, you don’t even have to worry about the cream or nut fillings, as cream offsets the sweetness of the syrup, while the list of benefits nuts have under their belt is endless (see above). (NM) et