Fasting diet tips that are safe for your body

If you are a person who wants to go on a diet while fasting, it is very important for you to pay attention to food intake during fasting. Fasting should not be an obstacle to staying healthy. When fasting, the body requires more nutrient-rich food intake so that it can meet energy needs for daily activities.

How to do a fasting diet that is safe for the body?

Basically, the way to diet when fasting is the same as the diet you do on a daily basis outside the month of Ramadan. You still have to have a balanced diet with the right proportion of carbohydrate, fat and protein intake during sahur and iftar. If this is not considered and done, the food consumed at dawn and breaking the fast can actually cause weight gain.

In addition, undergoing a diet while fasting must also be disciplined. The reason is, if it is not done in a disciplined manner your chance to lose weight and become healthier will be wasted.

Here are some tips you can do to go on a fasting diet that is safe for the body so that it doesn't interfere with your activities during fasting:

1. Pay attention to nutritional intake

Make sure if your iftar and sahur meals are complete in nutrition and have all food groups. For example:

Fill your carbohydrates from whole grains (whole wheat), potatoes, brown rice, and oats.
Eat foods high in protein from eggs, cheese, almonds, edamame, quinoa, and so on.
Fiber from vegetables and fruit such as broccoli, carrots, spinach, apples, bananas, avocados and papaya.
Healthy fats from fish, lean beef, chicken breast, olive oil, sunflower oil, and so on.

2. Avoid processed products

Usually delicious and addictive foods are foods that contain lots of MSG, artificial sweeteners, sodium and fat. This is what makes you hungry easily because it is difficult to control the desire to eat these foods.

That is why it is so important that you avoid processed food products and junk food . Reduce, even if possible, avoid fried foods or foods that are high in trans and saturated fats. Choose iftar and sahur menu which is processed yourself so that nutritional intake is guaranteed. You can use the cooking method by sautéing, boiling, steaming, and grilling so that the food you consume is preserved with nutritional content.

3. Eat slowly

Many people claim to be crazy when eating iftar dishes. Eating a lot of food in the near future or all at once will cause stomach pain and bloating. Finally, the body feels uncomfortable because it is full.

Start breaking the fast with dates, then plain water, followed by warm soup and a small bowl of vegetable or fruit salad. After that, continue with the main course.

If you feel full after eating a salad, you can eat the main meal after 2-3 hours afterwards. Eating warm soup will make the stomach feel comfortable, besides eating soup can also restore body fluids and help prepare the digestive system to accept heavier foods. Soup foods that are recommended are spinach, corn soup, chicken soup, or mixed vegetable soup.

4. Cut down on foods high in sugar

Usually, when breaking the fast, many people eat sweet foods and drinks. But do you know that if you eat and drink a lot of sugar right away, it will actually make your stomach bloated and cause the digestive process to be hampered. Foods high in sugar also make blood sugar levels unstable so you will want to eat sweets.

You can eat dates when breaking the fast, apart from being a sunnah for breaking the fast, in fact, dates are a good source of sugar and are rich in nutrients such as high fiber, magnesium and potassium which can smooth the movement of your digestive system. If you really want to eat compote, mixed ice or cucumber ice, wait 2-3 hours after breaking the fast or after you pray tarawih.

5. Controlling fluid intake in the body

When fasting, the body slowly becomes prone to dehydration. That is why when breaking and suhoor make sure if you eat foods that contain lots of water to help the body meet its fluid intake.

In addition, avoid foods that contain lots of salt. Foods that are high in salt are usually found in factory processed foods such as canned or frozen foods. Foods that are high in salt will make you thirsty more easily when fasting. You should also avoid foods that are too spicy because they can make you feel like you're not getting too much fluid. You can consume coconut water, watermelon, cucumber, lettuce, oranges, and others that contain lots of water.