The month of Ramadan has ended. Now it is time to return to routine eating habits. However, shortly after this period in which nutrition is kept to a minimum and organs are rested, starting to overeat with the Ramadan Feast will both tire the body out and cause you to gain weight.

To avoid this, a smooth transition is best. Each individual will apply what is best for himself/herself in the diet that varies according to the person. But some habits are considered almost healing for everyone. Yeditepe University Kozyatağı Hospital Dietician and Phytotherapy Specialist Buket Ertaş listed the points to be considered during the Ramadan Feast.

Increase your fluid consumption;

Fluid consumption may be insufficient during Ramadan. We need sufficient water consumption for all our organs, especially the kidneys, to function properly. In addition to being healthy, it is necessary to pay attention to water if you have weight problems or edema problems. It is almost impossible for a dehydrated body to get rid of edema. Taking most of the extracellular accumulated and edema-causing water into the cell will improve our health. At the same time, if you are experiencing attacks of overeating, drinking water will contribute to your feeling of satiety. Because sometimes the mechanisms of hunger and thirst feel the same. It should come to your mind that you may be thirsty when you are constantly eating and do not feel satiety. Diuretic drinks such as coffee and tea (causing a fluid loss) increase the need for water even more. Therefore, water consumption should not be neglected along with other liquids. 

Do not have breakfast without protein;

The foods that stay in the stomach the longest are the foods with high protein content. Starting the day with a sufficient amount of protein is an important key to starting the day energetically as well as prolonging your satiety time. For example, high-quality protein sources for breakfast are omelets with lots of greens or vegetables, and eggs scrambled with tomatoes and green pepper that will both keep your satiety time long and reduce your desire to eat carbohydrates to a minimum. 

Do not skip meals;

It is a little more difficult to recover the blood glucose that drops after long fasts. In order to solve its hunger, the body turns to simple carbohydrates that raise blood glucose quickly. It is important to eat on time so that the balance is not disturbed, and our brake mechanism is activated. Eating the meal on time and not skipping it will help you make the right choice. Although snacks provide instant satiety, they actually make you hungry again in the long run. Try to eat meals on time and, if possible, prefer home-cooked meals.

If you have had a late breakfast, you can update your meal times;

Holidays would be a typical example of a Sunday. Generally, it starts with a late and rich breakfast, and the day ends with dinner. Actually, this order is not a bad choice. If it does not pose a problem for your health and does not disrupt your medication regimen, sometimes 2 meals can be preferred. However, keeping the interval between meals too long can cause you to become very hungry again and to eat more than necessary in the evening. For this reason, after a late and quality breakfast, it is useful to have a small intermediate meal in order not to be too hungry at dinner. Fruit, nuts, tzatziki, kefir, and maybe a small toast are some examples of quality intermediate meals.

Take the consumption of the sweets you crave to early hours;

Metabolism works even faster during active times. High-calorie foods consumed during a particularly active time of the day are easier to burn. Although the calories taken do not change, it is more reasonable when the profit and loss calculation is made. In addition, frequency is very important. Everyday escapade can cause harm to your health if it becomes a routine. Therefore, it is useful to reduce the frequency to a minimum and try not to eat it every day.

Do not forget to eat vegetables;

Vegetables naturally contain plenty of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They have a positive effect on the entire digestive system and their calories are lower than other food groups. Constipation is common, especially during Ramadan. It is useful to keep plenty of vegetables in our lives to contribute to the routine of the intestinal system. In addition, thanks to its abundant fiber content, both our stomach and eyes will be satisfied. In this way, the craving for sweets and pastries will also decrease. You can contribute to your health by promising yourself 1 meal of herbal nutrition during the festive periods when pastry and meat consumption are intense.

Use grilling and baking instead of frying;

Using too much oil and frying in a way that causes the oil to burn can sometimes make even very healthy foods unhealthy. Food both loses its nutritional value and increases its calorie content. Even frying the onion while cooking a classic vegetable dish is actually one of the things that should not be done. If we enter the kitchen with the awareness of this, both nutritiousness will be at the forefront and unnecessary calorie intake will not be made.

Do not forget to exercise;

If conditions allow, brisk walking at the end of the day or the beginning of the day helps to balance your daily calories and protect your cardiovascular health. For those who have weight problems, if their blood glucose does not decrease, walking on an empty stomach in the morning before starting the day will also accelerate fat burning.

Soups should be homemade and cream-free;

One of the unnoticed calories is soups. While homemade soups with plenty of vegetables, if possible, will help both digestion and increase satiety, soups made with cream or with the addition of plenty of flour will not provide satiety and will cause you to gain weight.

It will be safer to choose a milky dessert or ice cream instead of dough and fried desserts;

As we just mentioned, sometimes the cooking method is vital. The calories of fried desserts also increase exponentially. Milky dessert should be our first choice, both in terms of calcium support and because it has fewer calories.

3-DAY SAMPLE DIET LIST

DAY 1

BREAKFAST

• 1 egg scrambled with pepper, parsley, and plenty of tomatoes
• 1 slice of sourdough bread
• 1 slice of white cheese
• Seasonal vegetables
• 2 walnut kernels
• Green tea

LUNCH

• Spicy baked zucchini and eggplant (in the oven)
• 1 bowl of tzatziki or yogurt
• 4 tablespoons of bulgur pilaf

INTERMEDIATE MEAL

• 1 portion of milky dessert OR 1 portion of fruit

DINNER

• Homemade grilled meatballs
• 1 bowl of green salad with apple cider vinegar
• Half portion of bulgur pilaf
• 1 glass of ayran

DAY 2

BRUNCH

• Low-fat omelet with 2 eggs and plenty of greens
• 3 tablespoons of curd cheese
• 1 slice of brown bread
• 4 olives
• 1 teaspoon of honey
• 2 halves of walnut kernels
• Lots of seasonal vegetables (cold cuts)

Note: 1 portion of fruit can be added instead of honey.

AFTERNOON INTERMEDIATE MEAL

• 1 glass of plain kefir, 1 teaspoon of crushed linseed
• You can choose half a portion of fruit (you can make a smoothie through a blender) or a dessert you like.

DINNER

• Mixed grill or fish grill
• Oily green beans
• 1 bowl of soft apple cider vinegar salad with mixed ingredients
• 1 slice of brown bread

DAY 3

BREAKFAST

• Toast with string cheese, red pepper, and olives 
• 1 bowl of mixed green salad
• 2 walnut kernels
• 1 cup of green tea

LUNCH

• Mixed vegetable soup with marrowbone broth added 
• 1 bowl of spicy yogurt or tzatziki

DINNER

• Oven-baked eggplants with minced meat
• Bulgur pilaf
• 1 bowl of tzatziki
• Optional salad