Keeping a healthy diet after Ramadan

Even though the holy month of Ramadan is a month of fasting, many people do not benefit from it and do not take this opportunity to cleanse their bodies. Most people fill their dining tables with unhealthy foods that contain a large amount of sugar and fat.
Nutrition specialist Rowaidah Idriss discussed the secrets of a healthy diet and how to get rid of fat and toxins when fasting. “Our body transforms the carbohydrates from each meal into energy. After six hours of fasting it starts looking for another source of energy, by burning stored fat,” she said.
Fasting cleans the liver and the body from fats and toxins. When eating fatty, sugary or fried food at iftar you ruin the cleansing process and lose one of the important benefits of fasting,” she added.
Now that Eid is just around the corner, you should prepare your body for having breakfast in the morning after a month of not having it. “First day of Eid, start with doing the same things when you had iftar fast in Ramadan. Eat dates and laban before Eid’s prayer and eat breakfast a couple of hours later,” she said. “Bad foods are nicely wrapped to attract people, but in fact they are a time bomb to our body. Eat everything but keep imagining what you are eating and think of its effect on your body,” she added.
Idriss recommends eating the same portions, while keeping an eye on the ingredients. “Do not eat more than one portion from the same food category. For instance, if you had croissant then do not eat toasted bread or any other breads with it,” she said. “If you wanted to taste a different variety of foods, make sure you take small bites of each and don’t overdo it,” she added.

Nutrition tips from Rowaidah Idriss:
• Don’t go to restaurants or gatherings when you are hungry, eat something light before going out.
• Fulfill your body’s need for sugar with fruits during the day.
• Drink water regularly as it flushes toxins out of the body.
• Drink water 15 minutes before eating your meal (two glasses of water if you are on a diet).
• Fill your stomach first with low-calorie and low-fat foods. Start with vegetables like green salad or soup.
• Most importantly limit your portions of carbohydrates.
Always count and control the carbohydrates (daily serving should be from six to 11 servings distributed throughout meals)
• A portion (15 grams) of carbohydrates can be found in cereal and other grains, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, sweets and sugar.
• Burn your calories by exercising.

Eid is a celebration of candy; it is tradition to pass around candy so make sure to share your calories. “Share your chocolate and sweets and eat them after a meal and not when you’re hungry,” said Idriss.

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