Ramadan 2012 – Day 10, Fasting and Exercise

One of the issues I'm finding with fasting is that, ironically given it's the summer, I get cold much easier than before. I'm guessing that because I'm fasting my body doesn't generate heat as well as before. I sit in the office with a jacket on and my hands still feel like ice. When I have my nap in the afternoon I have to put an extra blanket on because once I start sleeping I feel a bit cold even though the room is 24°. These issues go away once I start eating and the extra blanket is removed when I go to sleep at night.

Fasting also throws an exercise routine out of whack and it becomes difficult to find time to exercise. That said I made time for a 45-minute walk tonight but because of the heat and humidity I was absolutely drenched with sweat when I got home. Looks like I'll have to use the treadmill. My Muslim friends are having issues with getting exercise as well, tarawih prayers don't usually end until around 9:30pm after which you have a large meal (if your iftar was small) and after you finish that you really don't feel like exercising.

I'm now trying to keep my iftars consistent:

• 3 dates
• small handful of nuts
• a bit of cheese
• a few olives
• small bowl of chili with some rye crackers (I made a chili for the ghabga last weekend so I'm now eating the leftovers)
• a yogurt
• 2 glasses of water
• 1 glass of laban

I'm finding this settles in the stomach a lot better than other meals.


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Hadith of the Day

It's not all about war . . .

Abu Shuraih Al-Khuza’i narrator that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "He who believes in Allah and the Last Day, should be kind to his neighbor. And he who believes in Allah and the Last Day, should be hospitable to his guest. And he who believes in Allah and the Last Day, should say good words or keep silent." (Sahih Muslim, Book of Iman)