By | Shafia Younas 

We all know that when it comes to health in Ramadan, there are two kinds of people: those who LOSE weight and those who GAIN weight! Some people complain about having a lack of energy and about being dehydrated. Others feel as if they starve themselves all day, yet still end up gaining an extra 5 “Ramadan Pounds”!

Well, the good news is, it’s NOT Ramadan that makes us gain weight or leads to energy loss.

WHAT WE EAT FOR SUHOOR largely affects how our fasting hours pass and how our bodies will make it through the month.

If you plan your Suhoor carefully, you can have enough energy throughout your day to complete your daily tasks and have a productive day.

Your Suhoor needs to contain slow energy releasing foods; these include wholegrain foods, fruits and vegetables as they have complex carbs and fibre, which is great to kick-start your fast! These foods are going to help you feel full longer throughout the day.

Here are 5 ideas to get you started:

1. For the typical breakfast lover…PORRIDGE

Porridge or oatmeal is a great way to start any day. Add some chopped dried unsalted nuts or fresh fruits to your porridge for that extra boost to your metabolism.

And if you really want to add that extra protein, have a boiled egg beside that porridge. Not only will you get essential proteins, but the egg will provide you with slow releasing energy to help you throughout the day.

Rolled oats and berries make a fantastic suhoor option!

Replacing normal milk with cashew or almond milk will also provide you with some extra calcium, protein, potassium and iron.

Potassium reduces thirst so it’s definitely a good choice!

2. For the high-speed suhoor seeker… SMOOTHIE.

If you always seem to run short of time for suhoor, then you can prepare the night before by placing some blueberries, raspberries, banana, strawberries and bio yogurt into a freezer bag and popping it into the freezer.

At Suhoor, you can blend all these with milk for a quick smoothie. It’s excellent for the summer and it’s also packed with all sorts of nutrients. You can even add some dry oats into the mixture when blending; this would provide added carbs for extra energy.

3. For the bread lover… WHOLEGRAIN TOAST.

If you are a fan of toast, then opting for wholegrain toast with all-natural peanut butter may be the suhoor for you. You can have toast with omelet or with a glass of soya milk. You can even have toast with beans.

Wholegrain bread is the key!

4. For the meat lover…GRILLED CHICKEN (with veggies).

If you have a little more time on your hands and you have some space in your stomach after that large iftari, then you can have grilled chicken with steamed vegetables.

These can be very quick to make if you have some chopped vegetables prepared (some excellent choices for veggies: sweet potatoes, leaks, kidney beans, carrots and green beans).

Sweet potatoes are LOADED with potassium to regulate fluids.

You can add whatever vegetables you like with it and to make your suhoor even better, you can have pouched or dry- fried eggs with it.

If you like your veggies raw, then why not add all of that into one delicious grilled chicken salad? add your favourite veggies your chicken, boiled eggs, drizzle some olive oil, add some nuts and… voila!

5. And for the traditionalist…ROTI.

If you’re like my dad whom can’t live without his roti, then this is the option for you. Have this with lentils or a vegetable dish.

Add an omelet or boiled eggs to this and have a banana or an apple to squeeze in some fibre and potassium.

Your Suhoor doesn’t have to be overly complicated.

Choose un-processed and natural foods.

Have lots of water as well as fruits and vegetables.

Simple changes to your morning meal routine can make a HUGE difference in your energy levels throughout the day, inshAllah!

Find more smoothie recipes in our new and updated Ramadan RESET eBook! Learn everything you need to know about exercise in Ramadan by signing up for our Ramadan Reset eBook: Your Complete Guide to Your HEALTHIEST Ramadan EVER! This 100+ page eBook is an ALL-IN-ONE! It provides the essential information you need to know to truly have a successful Ramadan inshAllah – spiritually AND physically! Find out more here: www.amanahfitness.com/ramadan.

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