Be Sure to Wake Up for Sahur

  Ramadan this year lasts approximately 17 hours and coincides with hot weather. During this month, as in other months, balanced nutrition is quite important. Nutrition and Diet Specialist Orçun Kürüm explained step by step what needs to be done to maintain balanced nutrition while fasting and to continue our exercise regularly. What to Pay Attention to During Sahur

• Fasting without waking up for sahur is quite inadvisable. To balance blood sugar, it is essential to wake up for sahur and prefer complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal and wholegrain bread that slowly raise blood sugar during sahur.
• We should not exclude eggs, the highest quality protein, from our table and should not forget to consume other animal protein sources such as milk, yogurt and low-salt cheese.
• Raw vegetables and fruits should always be included to increase fiber intake.
• During sahur, to reduce the desire to feel thirsty in the coming hours, salty foods should be avoided, and to prevent problems such as heartburn and reflux, oily and spicy foods should be particularly avoided during this meal.

What to Pay Attention to During Iftar

• Since blood sugar drops significantly during the day, we generally tend to eat a lot in a short time. Therefore, iftar should be started at a slow pace and with light foods.
• When opening the fast, start with 1-2 glasses of water, then 1-2 dates or 2-3 olives, followed by a light soup.
• After the soup, a 10-15 minute break should be taken both to prevent eating too quickly and to avoid indigestion problems.
• It is not advisable to eat dessert immediately after the meal. You can consume milk-based desserts, compote or fruit 1 or 2 hours after the meal.

Exercise at Light Intensity During this period, since our nutrition routine changes, we struggle to get sufficient energy and protein throughout the day. Taking into account that our performance will decrease during this period while fasting, it is more appropriate to postpone athletic goals during this time. However, exercise should continue to maintain the current condition. If you exercise regularly, it should be at lighter intensity than usual and shorter in duration. If exercises such as cycling, running and swimming are performed at reduced intensity, it helps accelerate metabolism. If you have a sport you regularly practice, you should reduce the intensity of that sport. For example, if you do fitness, it is recommended to do full sessions twice a week or half training four times a week. Pilates can continue at reduced intensity. Heavy exercise can cause muscle loss and significant loss of fluids and electrolytes. What is the Right Time to Exercise? Since blood sugar rises after iftar, exercise should not be done immediately. The most suitable time during this period is 1-3 hours after iftar. What Should We Pay Attention to Not to Gain Weight During Ramadan?

• Be sure to wake up for sahur.
• Choose high-fiber whole wheat breads as bread.
• Pay attention to water consumption. Try to keep your urine light-colored from the end of sahur until after iftar.
• Choose low-sugar milk-based desserts twice a week as dessert.
• Consume plenty of raw vegetables and fruits accordingly.
• Do light-intensity exercise.
• Eat foods slowly and chew well.

We should avoid fried foods and very fatty foods.