Ramadan is a period of fasting for the Muslim community. During this period, Muslims need to abstain from food and beverages from dawn to sunset.
Iftar which is the first meal after sunset is the breaking of daily fast while Suhoor is the final meal before the start of the daily fast.
It may be a difficult task for athletes to maintain training adaptations and performance during Ramadan as the amount of energy, type of macronutrient intakes, timing of energy intakes and hydration intakes would be different from their usual eating habits and thus may make the following mistakes.
Mistake #1 - Skipping the Suhoor meal
Many athletes might choose to catch up with sleep by skipping Suhoor due to the accumulated lack of sleep especially when there is a shortened nighttime sleep and the possibility of experiencing poor sleep during Ramadan. Sleep quality tends to deteriorate especially towards the end of Ramadan (Source)
Skipping the Suhoor meal may lead to insufficient energy intakes when compared to the energy output for that day and may increase the feeling of hunger.
Solution:
To compensate for the shortened nighttime sleep, include regular naps during the day.
It is still best to wake up for Suhoor meal.
Tip #2 - Eating large amounts of food during Iftar
During Iftar, there would usually be a wide variety of food available on the table. For example, in Singapore and Malaysia, beef rendang, white rice and other curry dishes are some common dishes available. They tend to be high in fats due to the coconut milk and high in carbohydrates.
Athletes tend to gobble down food available on the table after long period of fasting. The gobbling of food can lead to indigestion which may effect sleep.
Solution:
When planning for Iftar:
Make sure that Iftar should include Protein-rich foods, Vegetables, Fruits and Carbohydrate-rich foods
Make sure that the portion sizes and quantities are sufficient in supporting the athlete's training schedule and activity level. Contact us to estimate your portion sizes.
Consider including foods that are easily digestible
To minimize the risk of indigestion:
Decrease the speed of eating to approximately 20 minutes
Chew thoroughly especially meats
Take food in smaller quantities. Go back for seconds if still hungry or in accordance to the portion sizes estimated by a Performance Nutritionist
Include a high protein pre-sleep meal. The timing of the pre-sleep meal depends on what is available.
"Make sure that the portion sizes are sufficient to support your training schedule and the next day's activity level."
– Belinda Leow
Tip #3 - Eating the same quantity of food during light training days or rest days
During light training and rest days, athletes use lesser energy compared to the regular training days and gym days. Taking more energy than what athletes use would lead to weight gain and accumulation of body fat during Ramadan.
Soft drinks, fruit juice drinks and energy drinks are some of the most common beverages that contribute to the high energy intakes.
Solution:
Consider the training demands for that particular day if it is Sahoor and the next day if it is Iftar before choosing what to drink during those timings
Choose water as the main fluid option during light training days or rest days
Take no more than two dates as dates are generally high in energy
Tip #4 - Taking sugary and salty food during the Suhoor meal
Although salt in food may be beneficial to retain fluids in the body, excessive amounts before dawn may cause an increase in thirst sensation throughout the day. Sugary drinks may also make Athletes feel thirsty throughout the day especially energy drinks.
Solution:
When planning for Suhoor meals,
Choose non-processed foods instead of processed food that are high in salt content
Consider adding less salt into meals during preparation or when eating. E.g. using less soya sauce or table salt
Consider taking less gravy which is usually quite high in either salt or sugar. Did you know Mee Siam contains 10.5 teaspoons of sugar?
Choose water instead of sugary drinks
Towards the end of the Suhoor meal time, drink some water. Avoid drinking in large amounts
Tip #5 - Avoid drinking fluids in large amounts at one go
Many athletes tend to drink inconsistent amounts of fluids during both Iftar and Suhoor. Some athletes might drink a lot of water towards the end of the Suhoor meal time in the hope of preventing dehydration especially in the warm and humid countries such as Singapore and Malaysia.
Dehydration is a particular problem especially during Ramadan as it tends to cause a decrease in performance. Long hours of fasting and the increase in body temperature while exercising in the warm and humid climate result in dehydration or the loss of total body water.
Dehydration occurs when the athlete sweats due to the increases in body temperature that occurs during exercise and when exercising in the warm and humid climate.
Our body may not be able to store water that is consumed efficiently. When an athlete drinks a lot of water at one time, the amount of urine would increase and would most likely make the athlete go straight to the toilet.
Solution:
Start drinking fluids consistently throughout the Suhoor and Iftar meal times.
Have a hydration plan during these meal times. Contact us to get your very own hydration plan
Choose drinks such as milk when taking Suhoor and Iftar meals to help retain fluids in the body (source).
Where possible, exercise prior to Iftar would be ideal as athletes would have the opportunity to consume fluids during and after exercise
Some religious authorities may allow cold mouth washes during exercise. Please ask your countries' religious authorities for guidance on this.
These tips are one of many dietary strategies that should be in your Nutrition Plan. Nutrition Plan aims to help you succeed in your sporting career. It include meal plans, portion sizes, meal timings, the amount of fluids when exercising, determining your daily hydration status and other dietary strategies to help with performance. You can learn more about how to create your own Nutrition Plan by our upcoming group coaching sessions. To do that, you would need to be in one of our platforms.
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