RAMADAN DAY 9: AVOIDING THE FOOD COMAI came across a tweet recently which went,“If you don&

RAMADAN DAY 9: AVOIDING THE FOOD COMAI came across a tweet recently which went,“If you don’t have a food coma after iftar, you’re not doing ramadan right”Of course (and obviously) overeating is not in any way encouraged in Islam but this tweet did give me a good laugh because who am I kidding, I’m guilty as charged. Wikipedia calls it as the “postprandial somnolence”. I’m starting to believe that a food coma is almost inevitable, especially when you’re breaking your fast at home with your family. I mean, look: Since you’re fasting, clearly you’re hungryMom’s cooking- no further commentYou attend a buffet, or the ramadan bazaar decides to sell everything you need/want, and since you can’t decide, you buy/’test’ each of everything.Now that you’ve overspent, not finishing what you bought would be a waste. Membazir; everyone’s favourite excuse.Eating is a form of entertainment. Enough saidWhat triggered this entry is the fact that I noticed how I gained a few pounds only in the first week of ramadan. What even?! So maybe, hopefully, by listing out some tips on how to avoid the food coma, I will be able to smack some sense into myself. Besides, it’s the month of worship. Pretty sure that a food coma and ibadah won’t quite mix that well. Thus, here are a few tips that might help us eat less;H2O is keyI once told a friend that at one point, I couldn’t stop eating. I needed to snack on something every now and then even when I’m not hungry. He insisted that every time i feel that way, before eating anything, drink lots of water because usually our bodies confuse hunger for thirst.Make doa while waiting for iftarSo you’re sitting before that huge table of food, everything looks tremendous. But instead of plotting strategies to attack, take that 10-20 minutes before iftar to contemplate & reflect. Think about why you fast in the first place. Also, make plenty of doa. Remember, “Whatever is prayed for at the time of breaking the fast is granted and never refused.” [Tirmidhi]. InshaAllah you’ll be able to pull yourself together & control yourself from wanting to eat too much.Don’t skip sahurHow is this related to iftar? Well, a good & balanced sahur can go a long way. It gives you the energy to take on the day & helps to jump start your metabolism which can prevent you from binge eating over iftar. Don’t eat in front of television/computerAvoid from watching movies or television shows during iftar & focus on your food. The more distracted you are while you eat, the more unconscious you are of the amount that you’re actually stuffing yourself with. Chew slowlyReward yourself by savoring every bite. You’re not running a marathon so chill. Chew slowly, and put down your spoon between every bite. This can help to effectively send fullness cues to the brain.Cut food into smaller piecesFor example, instead of cutting a murtabak/sandwich/etc into two halves, cut them into four. By this you trick your brain into thinking you’re eating more than you are, so you eat less.Use small plates and bowlsThis can have the same effect as above/have no effect if you’re just gonna refill the plate/bowl over and over. However, psychologically, it has been proven to work. Besides, wouldn’t you feel embarrassed refilling plates if you’re eating at an iftar party/event? One or two is ok, but FOUR, FIVE? Are you for real?Have an exercise routineWorking out in ramadan, are you serious? Yes, I am. It doesn’t necessarily have to be heavy. A 30 minute walk around your neighbourhood everyday will do. By making this a habit, inshaAllah you’ll be motivated to eat healthier and thus lower the tendency for you to overeat. Who knows, you might even lose weightRemember this postBecause why not. Hope you find this beneficial. At the end of the day, it comes back to yourself. YOU control YOU. We ask Allah to give us the strength to withstand that selera puaka vicious appetite & may He make us moderate muslims in everything we do. AamiinMay peace be upon you x -- source link

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