The way to lose weight in 11 steps and keep it off during Ramadan
The biggest causes of weight gain are consuming too many carbohydrates, remaining sedentary, not drinking enough water and not getting enough, poor quality sleep. If these mistakes are made while fasting in Ramadan, it will be inevitable to gain weight. The reduction in our blood sugar during fasting will lead to the need to consume carbohydrates at the time of iftar. At this point, complex carbohydrates should be consumed to balance sugar. Simple carbohydrates mix more quickly in the blood, raising and lowering blood sugar at the same time. At the point where it falls, the body needs carbohydrates again. This situation will cause you to fall into a vicious cycle of constant snacking and sweet crises. Calorie restriction is necessary to lose weight. We need to get enough protein every day, consume healthy fats and limit carbohydrates.
How should we eat to lose weight and maintain our current weight during Ramadan? Dietitian Sena Nazli summed up fasting:
1- First of all, simple carbohydrates such as white bread, sugar and sugary foods, honey, fruits, cereals should be avoided at sahur, and complex carbohydrates that contain fiber such as brown bread, oats and vegetables that make you feel full. long time is preferred.
2- In order for the body to work correctly and healthily and to prevent muscle loss in weight loss, sufficient protein should be consumed daily.
3- Suhoor should be started with protein foods (eggs, cheese, milk and dairy products, raw nuts…). Carbohydrates should be saved for last. Because proteins give a feeling of satiety, carbohydrates will be consumed in a limited way. In addition, starting with carbohydrates, we may not get enough protein at the time when the stomach is full.
4- You should not lie down with sahur immediately after eating and rest for 15-20 minutes.
5- Adequate quality sleep is very important for metabolism. The average daily sleep requirement of an adult is 6-8 hours. This should be taken into account when planning sleeping hours. Apart from time, quality sleep is necessary. Caffeine reduces sleep quality and is not cleared from the body for about 10 hours. For this reason, we do not recommend coffee consumption after the evening. Therefore, it may be a good idea to avoid coffee during Ramadan. After iftar, light tea may be preferred instead of brewed tea.
6- Drinking enough water also affects the metabolism. If we don’t drink enough water, the metabolism slows down and can lead to weight gain. A healthy adult should drink 35 ml of water per kilogram of weight. It must be followed and the goal must be achieved between iftar and sahur.
7- Don’t sit still during the day. Since inactivity reduces energy expenditure, it can cause weight gain, even if you don’t go beyond what you eat on a daily basis.
8- Start iftar with water and soup. Wait 10-15 minutes and then start with the main course. This way your sugar will be balanced and you will feel full.
9- It is important to consume enough protein in iftar as in sahur. Protein sources such as meat, chicken, fish, legumes, yoghurt and ayran are preferred.
10- There should be a snack between iftar and sahur. We can use our daily fruit for this snack. Since only fruit sugar is a simple carbohydrate, it should be consumed with a protein (such as raw nuts or milk and dairy products) to maintain balance, as consuming it alone causes our blood sugar levels to rise and fall rapidly.
11- Let’s go to Ramadan desserts… Our priority is to give preference to milky desserts that also contain protein instead of viscous ones. Apart from this, dessert should not be eaten every day and no other carbohydrate source (such as rice, pasta, bread, potatoes) should be included in the iftar meal on days when sweets are eaten. On the days when we eat desserts, we are not allowed to eat fruit. This way we can limit carbohydrates and support weight loss.