So the holy month of Ramadan has come and thus may feel like a month full of fulfilling discipline but what a great time to start transforming your life! What Ramadan teaches us is discipline, charity and being close to Allah. The discipline involved in fasting is something we can use to help us detoxify and cleanse our bodies and ones of the best ways to do this to follow the Healthy 4 U Whole-istic eating system.

Many of the same principles apply such as eating a nice protein breakfast but also trying to include some good fiber carbohydrates just to leave you fuller for longer. It is SO, SO, SO important to try cut out too many simple carbohydrates (sugary carbs) in general but especially during Ramadan as our immune system will be a little fragile as you have gone without food for 13 or more hours. After which you break-fast and I know that to do so you feel you may need a handful of dates but it is important not to eat too many and to get a good amount of water along with the dates as dehydration will kick in if you don’t. When breaking fast try get a nice high protein meal with nice organic vegetables and as mentioned before avoid simple carbohydrates as this will get your blood sugar levels right up and after your little energy burst this insulin spike will cause a concurrent drop in your energy levels, leaving you feeling exhausted pretty quickly. In some cases this can also cause some nasty headaches that can easily be avoided with good nutrition.

Ramadan is a fantastic time to detoxify the body; it is for this reason that the team at Healthy 4 U recommends eating organic food only. In fact this is part of our normal day to day recommendations but it is especially important during Ramadan. Non organic food has a chemical cocktail of pesticides, rodentacides and fertilisers. There are over 1 billion tons of pesticides sprayed on US crops each year, over time these dangerous chemicals can have a very negative effect on the body. They have been proven to be known carcinogens (cancer causing) and be neuro-toxic (damaging to your brain cells)

The key thing to avoid during Ramadan is eating too much and eating too fast during Iftar. It takes the body a certain amount of time to feel satiated. If you don’t chew your food until its liquefied in your mouth and are swallowing too quickly then you will have eaten too much by the time your body tells you that you have eaten enough food. Appreciate and enjoy your food by savoring the food, the taste the smell the texture.

I may have provided you with the Healthy 4 U eating plan, however I will write just a one day sample so you can get an idea of what to eat. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask. The team at Healthy 4 U are always willing to give you the best, professional advice available:

 

Suhoor

  • 1/2 Grilled Chicken with one tablespoon of Lentils mixed with broccoli and spinach. Squeeze some lemon juice to add some flavor.
  • Leave it a minimum of twenty minutes then consume 2-3 glasses of water.

 

Iftar: 1st Meal:

  • Steamed White Fish with fresh tabouleh and avocado.
  • Leave a minimum of twenty minutes then consume 2-3 glasses of water.

 

Before Bed

  • 1x hard boiled egg
  • handful of pumpkin seeds

After your snack before bed try have a 15 minute walk around rather than go straight to bed. Alternatively you could prepare a meal for the next day…always be one step ahead, being well planned is always going to help you achieve vastly different results. Drink 2-3 glasses of water just before bed, then BAM……

An end to a perfect day ready for another perfect tomorrow.

Good Luck with your health and fitness goals…

Gary Grant
Healthy 4 U
“Transforming Lives Through Health and Fitness”
Tel: +971 052 699 3955
Email: gary@dubai-personal-training.com
www.dubai-personal-training.com
Facebook page: facebook.com/Healthy4udubai