Intermittent fasting has increasingly become a popular topic within the health sphere, being associated with multiple health implications. It is increasingly being promoted as a way to maintain health and balance. 

Further, April is the month of Ramadan – whereby many Muslims fast during daylight hours (between the entrance of Fajr and the entrance of Maghrib). For many doing such, it can be hard to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle at the same time, this includes — maintaining hormonal balance, hitting wellness goals, sufficient nutrient intake, maintaining fertility, and much more. Therefore, it seemed only appropriate to pull together a quick guide on how best to fast for these extended periods of time. As a result, this blog will be focused on fasting during daylight hours, in line with Ramadan tradition, however some of these key tips will be relevant for all kinds of extended fasting.  

With so much information out there, it can be difficult and confusing when trying to determine what is actually best for yourself while fasting — so please note these are only suggestions, and we recommend speaking to a healthcare professional before making serious changes to your diet and lifestyle. 

For more detailed, expert advice on your individual health markers, and thus the most appropriate nutrition, supplementation, and more for yourself — then check out our Nutrition & Wellness Packages!

TIP 1 : Don’t skip on your first meal (suhoor)

Suhoor is the meal eaten at dawn during Ramadan. Your first meal of the day is really important, as it is crucial in not just physically, but also mentally, setting yourself up for the rest of the day. Good decisions made in the morning are more likely to carry through into the rest of the day. Skipping this meal is likely to lead to low energy, low mood, and make you much more likely to break your fast with unhealthy choices. 

If you find it difficult to eat something first thing then try:

• Prepare what you are going to eat the night before
  • This gives you less of an excuse to miss this meal simply by being ‘too tired’, while also helping to make sure you make the right choices at right 

• Start small 
  • Rome wasn’t built in a day! So don’t put too much pressure on yourself to have a massive meal straight away. 
  • Start with small positive choices, such as a boiled egg, or a stuffed date. You can then build these up to make sure you are having a balanced meal to start off your day right! We promise you will feel the benefits!

TIP 2: What to eat at your first meal (suhoor)

What you eat at the beginning of your day can set you up in many ways including:

• Getting your metabolism going 
• Helping with insulin, oestrogen & cortisol regulation 
• Stabilising blood sugar, helping with weight management & more! 

However, of course this depends on what you actually eat! 

What to do: 

• High protein intake 
  • This will help you to stay full for much longer, as well as improving muscle function, growth and repair. Eggs are a brilliant protein source as they also contain fatty acids — and so make it easier to create a balanced meal if morning eating is something you struggle with. 
  • Great sources: lean meats, eggs, tofu, a scoop of protein powder to porridge, yogurt, or your smoothie.

• Load up on healthy fats 
  • Healthy fats are great for hormonal balance and are essential is so many bodily functionsLuckily, these are easy to add to whatever meal you prefer in the morning! 
    • Don’t skip on the egg yolkAdd a handful of nuts or seeds to your porridge/yogurt — particularly chia seeds. Take an Omega-3 supplement with your first meal of the day Feeling fishy? Add smoked salmon!
  • Great sources include: nuts, seeds 

• Increased fibre 
  • Fibre is another component that will leave you feeling fuller for much longer Simply switching to whole grain sources is an easy way to instantly up this! (So, from white bread to brown bread!)Really hate vegetables in morning? Having some baked beans to start to introduce them in to your diet can be a good starting point!
  • Great sources include: beans, chickpeas, lentils, vegetables

• Reduce sugar intake 
  • Sugary cereals and bars are likely to cause blood sugar spikes, which will cause cravings, energy crashes and low mood. 
  • So, even though cereals are often positioned as easy or ‘healthy’ options — they are usually not actually the best thing for you!

Suhoor idea:

• Spinach & Mushroom Frittata — view in our free 7-day breakfast booklet
• For more breakfast ideas — including recipes, ingredients & more, click here!

TIP 3: Hydration 

Hydration is so important for all of your bodily functions, and seems simple yet can be easily neglected when the focus is on hunger or when you can eat next. 

How can I improve my water intake? 

• Make the first thing you do when breaking your fast be drinking a glass of water
  • We often do not even realise how thirsty we are, so if you immediately drink a glass of water, you will find staying hydrated much easier. 

• Flavour your water naturally
  • Adding fruit such as lemons or cucumber to your water is a great way to make water more drinkable and enjoyable!

• For more tips, view our blog: ‘Tips to increase your water intake’

TIP 4: What to eat when you break your fast (iftar)

Of course, what you eat when you stop fasting is also really important. It can feel like a time to be greedy and steam straight into bad choices, however thinking about it just a little bit can help you balance your health and hormones in the long run. 

Starting slow is a really important tip. 

• You do not want to shock your system with a sudden influx of foods high is sugar, fat, calories, etc.
• Start with options that are gentler, this will prevent gut / digestive issues. 
• Good choices include: 
  • Soups — particularly anti-inflammatory soups such as butternut squash soup, red pepper & tomato soup
  • Smoothies — particularly those with more vegetables in than fruits are a brilliant way to give your body the nutrients it needs, without overloading it with sugar 

You don’t have to be perfect — it is completely ok to treat yourself, so do not beat yourself up if you stray from the ‘healthy’ option. Transitioning to a healthier lifestyle is often difficult, and so practising the 80/20 rule, whereby you try to be healthy for at least 80% of the time, is a brilliant way to start. 

TIP 5: Supplements

Energy orientated supplements can be very useful in helping you keep up your day-to-day activities while fasting. Of course, these should not be used as meal replacements, but taking these supplements at suhoor can help! 

Vitamin D

• Much of the population are deficient in vitamin D, therefore starting to take this can really boost your energy, immunity and so much more! 

B-vitamins

• Many women in particular are deficient in B12, so taking a supplement for this can help with energy levels. 

Tip 6: Foods to avoid 

In general, it is best to follow your common sense when it comes to this tip. Foods to skip out on are those:

• High in sugar 
• Highly processed 
• High in salt 

However, always be careful to look at the label when it comes to what you buy, particularly pre-made meals or snacks. For a general rule of thumb, if there the product contains a huge range of ingredients, which you can’t recognise the names of – then steer clear! When you can, homemade is almost always better. 

If you want more help on this then have a look at our Nutrition & Wellness Package, which includes: 

• Tailored advice on nutrition
• Access to ScreenMe’s recipes (including lots that are under 15 minutes and super easy to make!)
• Your own EatWell plate 
• Supplement recommendations
• FREE 1:1 consultation 
• & much more! 

Don’t want to test and just want expert, caring advice that cuts through the endless articles which tell you to do one thing one day and another thing the next? Speak to one of ScreenMe’s experts here!

We hope this has provided you some advice to stay healthy and balanced when fasting, whether this be for Ramadan, or for other reasons! 

Ramadan Mubarak!

Jessica Hobbis