The month of Ramadan greets us once again and for some of us, it might be the first time experiencing it in a fresh environment such as a new workplace.
Different people have different ways of handling their fasting through the day. Some will push through as though it were any other month, while others might find the first week of Ramadan a bit of a struggle due to low energy and brain fog.
This could actually be attributed to a few mistakes made during the fasting process; minor errors they may be but ones that could actually hinder you from having a smooth fasting experience.
We’ve listed down some of these situations along with ways to remedy them to turn your Ramadan into one that leaves you feeling fulfilled both physically and spiritually.
Mistake #1: Not thinking about food at all.
Most times, people will say to avoid any thoughts involving food while fasting, but there’s absolutely nothing wrong with planning what you’ll have for Iftar in advance.
Not only will this habit help curb you from overspending on a lot of food (which happens to the best of us), you can plan your schedule for the day to accommodate to what your meal will be. If you’re planning on cooking for Iftar, you can make sure you have all the ingredients prepped beforehand to minimise the amount of work needed to prepare the dish.
Or if you already have a meal in mind but can’t be bothered to cook, you can pick a time that’s convenient for it to be delivered to you. You can look at options like GrabFood who currently has a promotion running where customers can get a 30% discount on chicken meals!
Specifically for their Ramadan BOKBOK campaign, you can pick from popular restaurants like McDonald’s, Texas Chicken, Lim Fried Chicken, Ayam Bakar, and more for your Iftar meals from Mondays to Thursdays.
As this promotion is not applicable from 5PM to 8PM, it’s best to really plan in advance and order your meals earlier to avoid any disappointments (no one wants to be grumpy right before buka puasa time). You can find out more about their participating merchants and more details here.
Mistake #2: Drinking large amounts of water during Iftar.
It’s understandable, we’re basically restricted from any form of liquid until it’s time to break fast so of course we’d be downing lots of water to quench that thirst.
But you’ll soon realise how your stomach starts to feel uncomfortable when you do so, because filling the stomach with water is actually more strenuous to it than food. Stomach irritation can happen when there is an imbalance between electrolytes, which are minerals in your bloodstream, and water in your body.
What we recommend is sipping your drink instead of gulping it during Iftar, and then slowly have a glass every two hours. This will help reduce the amount of stomach aches you can get.
Mistake #3: Staying sedentary in your office chair because moving = tired.
Fasting doesn’t mean all activities should be off limits during the day. Sitting in one place all day will make your body feel sluggish due to the lack of oxygen going to your brain.
Even just going for a short walk around your office or making sure to take deep breaths throughout the day can help keep your mind awake. You could even use your break time and play problem-solving games, as it has been said that our mental abilities rise and our mind becomes crystal clear while fasting.
If you are planning on exercising, do it after Iftar as that is when your body’s blood flow is concentrated around the stomach at that time so it will be less irritated. Just make sure to do it after an hour of eating to ease digestion.
Mistake #4: Skipping sahur because it’s “efficient”.
For those of us who aren’t morning people, waking up at 5AM for sahur can be a chore so we choose to skip it entirely.
Many nutritionists have mentioned how sahur supports healthy metabolism, reduces hunger pangs, improves mental alertness, and reduces fatigue. It is the fuel you’ll need to last you for the first half of the day.
If you’re the type to skip sahur because you’re too lazy to prepare meals for it, you can consider getting the food delivered to you the night before so that you can just store it in the fridge.
Lucky for us, GrabFood has extended their delivery time till 2AM (with the last order being at 1.30AM) in Klang Valley. Now you can have this option for your sahur needs or even just for supper, where you can get your favourite McDonald’s dishes or some Mamak specialties from Sri Steven’s Corner and Nasi Kandar Pelita sent to your doorstep.
No more excuses on skipping your sahur!
Mistake #5: Avoiding naps.
As sahur has us up before dawn, some of us experience a lack of sleep which often leads to mood swings and irritability. But there’s a belief out there that taking naps will just make your body feel more tired, which is not true.
Scheduling naps during the day helps to curb this. You can schedule in a short 15-20 minute nap in your office or even if you don’t fall asleep, simply closing your eyes helps to revitalise your mind and body.
Mistake #6: Having spicy food.
Malaysians love our spicy food and especially during fasting, it can be quite tempting to indulge. But having it for Iftar is a big no-no.
Our stomach lining is extra sensitive post-fasting, so subjecting it to spicy food can actually cause heartburn and bloating. It’s a type of food that induces gastric acid, so avoid having this if you want to prevent any bad indigestion issues from happening. You might even feel the pain when you head to the office the next day.
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So if you happen to be guilty of committing some of these mistakes, it’s not too late to make a change so that your Ramadan experience can be a more seamless one. Thankfully, with so many resources around us, these mistakes can be rectified easily as long as you plan ahead and stay mindful.
One of the ways to plan ahead is by having your Iftar meals delivered. Your stomach will be happy and so will you, being able to avoid those heavy traffic jams or large crowds lining up to buy food.
If you’re in the mood for chicken, do remember GrabFood’s Ramadan BOKBOK campaign that’s offering a 30% discount off your favourite chicken meals. From Monday to Thursday, you can order from restaurants like McDonalds, Texas Chicken, Lim Fried Chicken, and more.
All you’ll need to do is key in the promo code “BOKBOK” as long as you have a minimum order of RM25 to enjoy the 30% discount off your chicken meals . Do note that the maximum discount is capped at RM25 and is valid for 1 redemption per user per day.
Try to get your orders in before 5PM though, their hardworking delivery partners need to berbuka too so preparing ahead can help them have the food delivered to you as well as give them ample time to go home to break fast with their family too.
May everyone have a good Ramadan this year!
- If you’d like to find out more information on GrabFood’s Ramadan BOKBOK Campaign, you can click here.
This article was written in collaboration with GrabFood.