Today is the 16th day of the fast. That means that we have been fasting for more than two weeks. The first week was tough. Unlike the cloudy and windy days before fasting started, the sun decided to come up in its full glory during the whole of that week. We had to brave the sun from as early as 7am until the weather cools down in the evening at around 8pm.
But last week, we had some days of rain in between so the weather got a bit cooler and more manageable. There was even one day when we had a rare thunderstorm. So with the kinder weather, we had a more comfortable second week. Also, we get to break our fast earlier every day. On the first day, we could only break our fast at 9.36pm. Today, we can break our fast at 9.09pm. I also think that we are more and more used to fasting the long hours so we don't get headaches or stomach pains so often.
We are at the half way stage now. Alhamdulillah it is getting easier every day. I am very surprised that Pete has taken it in his stride. I am just as surprised that I could last the long hours. At the end of each day, I always get a sense of accomplishment. The feeling is amazing and makes me feel like we are strong enough to face challenges.
Oh and another wonderful result of fasting - we both have lost weight! I guess eating just one meal a day will do that to you. With 14 more days to go, we are looking forward to completing our fast and to lose even more weight.
Showing posts with label fasting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fasting. Show all posts
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Friday, July 27, 2012
Fasting in summer
After a week of fasting, I must say that this has been the most challenging Ramadan ever. First of all the hours are long. We have to fast for more than 18 hours a day. The long hours did not only mean that we have to wait a long time before we can break our fast. Our late supper, usually after 9.30pm, meant that we would go to bed with stuffed tummies.
That made it difficult to go to bed. Also, that meant that when we wake up at 2.30am for our morning meal, we are still too full to eat. We some times only drank a glass of water or shared an apple. That caused another problem - we got too hungry in the day since we didn't have enough to eat to sustain long hours of fasting. Some times, it seems like we had gone without food or water for 24 hours.
The lack of food for long hours some times would cause my tummy to be wrecked by sharp pains. When that happens, I had to grit my teeth and wait for the pain to be over. And usually it will. Another challenge is the dry air. It makes my throat dry. I didn't notice how dry the air is before I started fasting. To make matters worse, the past week has been very hot. Temperatures would rise up to 25C and the day would start getting bright by 8am and the sun would not relent until past 9pm.
So, this week, what we had to do was to adapt and adjust. We made sure we didn't eat too much at night and to find something light that we could eat in the morning. I planned to serve oats in the morning but it was too much for us so we ended up eating cereal instead. And with each day, once we got used to it, it gets easier and easier.
Before I moved here, I had already started to worry about fasting during the long hours in summer. And after experiencing it for a week, I can say that it is more challenging than I thought it would be. But it is the challenge that makes me feel so amazed and so thankful that we made it day after day. I'm even more amazed that for a first timer, Pete, the guy who loves to snack on chips, is able to keep up.
Now that we've completed one week of fasting, I believe it will get easier. We have gotten used to the long hours of fasting now and most importantly, the days are starting to get shorter. It's also likely that the weather will get cooler next week. Hopefully we will be able to complete the rest of Ramadan healthily.
That made it difficult to go to bed. Also, that meant that when we wake up at 2.30am for our morning meal, we are still too full to eat. We some times only drank a glass of water or shared an apple. That caused another problem - we got too hungry in the day since we didn't have enough to eat to sustain long hours of fasting. Some times, it seems like we had gone without food or water for 24 hours.
The lack of food for long hours some times would cause my tummy to be wrecked by sharp pains. When that happens, I had to grit my teeth and wait for the pain to be over. And usually it will. Another challenge is the dry air. It makes my throat dry. I didn't notice how dry the air is before I started fasting. To make matters worse, the past week has been very hot. Temperatures would rise up to 25C and the day would start getting bright by 8am and the sun would not relent until past 9pm.
So, this week, what we had to do was to adapt and adjust. We made sure we didn't eat too much at night and to find something light that we could eat in the morning. I planned to serve oats in the morning but it was too much for us so we ended up eating cereal instead. And with each day, once we got used to it, it gets easier and easier.
Before I moved here, I had already started to worry about fasting during the long hours in summer. And after experiencing it for a week, I can say that it is more challenging than I thought it would be. But it is the challenge that makes me feel so amazed and so thankful that we made it day after day. I'm even more amazed that for a first timer, Pete, the guy who loves to snack on chips, is able to keep up.
Now that we've completed one week of fasting, I believe it will get easier. We have gotten used to the long hours of fasting now and most importantly, the days are starting to get shorter. It's also likely that the weather will get cooler next week. Hopefully we will be able to complete the rest of Ramadan healthily.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
It gets better
Last night was tough. My head started aching a few hours before we could break our fast, but I managed to cope with it. We did make it till 9.36pm and broke our fast with water, dates and milk. As usual, I felt full after having just these three things. We should have waited a bit more before having our full meal after that but we were concerned that it was getting late and we would need to go to bed so soon after the meal.
We had grilled chicken leg, mashed potatoes with corn and peas and some leftover lasagne. I was really full halfway through the meal but some how I convinced myself to finish the whole plate. At the end of the meal, my tummy was so full and tight that it felt very uncomfortable. Pete felt the same and we had to wait as long as possible before we could go to bed.
I felt very uncomfortable and had trouble sleeping. And when the alarm went off at 2.30am, we couldn't eat anything since our tummies are still so full. We only managed to drink a glass of water before falling back to sleep.
This morning, I felt much better. It turned out to be a very sunny and bright day and we spent the whole day indoors. We even managed to take a nap. The nap was great and I felt much better after that. It's already 7.30pm now and yet the sun is still shining very brightly. Soon, I would have to get supper started. It's going to be Pete's favourite fried rice. He's done very well and I try to cook his favourite dishes as a sort of reward, not just for him but also for me. Fasting during summer is not easy at all so I guess a good meal will make our day. But we have to remember to not over eat. No more bloated tummies please.
We had grilled chicken leg, mashed potatoes with corn and peas and some leftover lasagne. I was really full halfway through the meal but some how I convinced myself to finish the whole plate. At the end of the meal, my tummy was so full and tight that it felt very uncomfortable. Pete felt the same and we had to wait as long as possible before we could go to bed.
I felt very uncomfortable and had trouble sleeping. And when the alarm went off at 2.30am, we couldn't eat anything since our tummies are still so full. We only managed to drink a glass of water before falling back to sleep.
This morning, I felt much better. It turned out to be a very sunny and bright day and we spent the whole day indoors. We even managed to take a nap. The nap was great and I felt much better after that. It's already 7.30pm now and yet the sun is still shining very brightly. Soon, I would have to get supper started. It's going to be Pete's favourite fried rice. He's done very well and I try to cook his favourite dishes as a sort of reward, not just for him but also for me. Fasting during summer is not easy at all so I guess a good meal will make our day. But we have to remember to not over eat. No more bloated tummies please.
Friday, July 20, 2012
First day
Today is the first day of Ramadan which means this is the start of my fast in a temperate country. And more significantly, this is the first time ever for Pete to start fasting.
This year, the fasting month falls in the middle of summer. This has given us both a huge challenge. Back at home where daylight hours are relatively constant, I used to fast from around 5.30am till 7pm. The hours would be longer or shorter but only by a few minutes each time. So, enduring the whole day without food or water for about 14 hours has been the norm for me. I have been doing that since I was young so I guess I have been conditioned for it.
But here, during summer, the sun would not set for 18 or more hours. Like today, for instance, we would have to fast from 3.13am until 9.36pm. That would mean more than 18 hours without food and drinks. This is tough. A really tough challenge.
Back at home, it wasn't easy either. The sun gets really hot and the high humidty doesn't help. Also, when I was working, I had to talk a lot and I'm on my feet a lot of the time. Sometimes I would also have to work under the sun and for long hours. So although I had to fast for a shorter period of time, I know that I would always long for the clock to fast forward so that I could break my fast.
In the past, my mum would wake us up at 4.30am and I would eat my bowl of oats, scrambled eggs or whatever leftovers we would have left. We would all sit in front of the tv, while keeping an eye on the clock. I would also make sure I get enough water. I would pour myself a huge glass of water which I would finish before fasting starts. Then I would brush my teeth and shower, do my early morning prayers and then I would go to work.
But now I am in Malmö. Things are, of course, not going to be the same here.
This morning, we had to wake up very early to eat before we start our fast for the day. The alarm woke us up at 2.30am. I had to force myself to get out of bed. Pete, ever the early riser was already up and fiddling with his iPad. I cooked oats and cut a grapefruit and peach for us to share. That was what we had for our morning meal. Pete finished his bowl very quickly. I took my time to slowly finish my bowl. I love my oats but to eat the whole bowl so early in the morning needs some getting used to. Even though it was still early in the morning, we didn't go back to bed immediately. I could even see the sky getting light as I sat on the bed. But soon, my eyes got sleepy and I went to sleep.
I woke up at 9.30am. Pete was already up, all showered and tackling zombies on his computer. I took my time to clean the apartment and soon, I was sitting on the couch, catching up on news online. It feels just like any other day, but I noticed that my throat is very dry. I guess the air here is dry. I didn't notice that before since I always have a glass of water or cup of tea with me.
We spent the rest of the day watching tv and then to distract us from our empty tummies and dry throat, we took a walk. The weather was great for the walk. It was sunny but the wind was nice and cool. During the walk, I always kept on checking on Pete. This is his first ever time fasting and I don't want him to suffer too badly. So far, he says he is ok. We finished our walk, discussing the menu for our meal later, and now we are back at home.
I am having a slight headache which could be due to the lack of water. I guess I would really need to up the intake of water tonight. Pete is doing great but we still have about four more hours ahead of us. We will make it. Inshallah, we will make it.
This year, the fasting month falls in the middle of summer. This has given us both a huge challenge. Back at home where daylight hours are relatively constant, I used to fast from around 5.30am till 7pm. The hours would be longer or shorter but only by a few minutes each time. So, enduring the whole day without food or water for about 14 hours has been the norm for me. I have been doing that since I was young so I guess I have been conditioned for it.
But here, during summer, the sun would not set for 18 or more hours. Like today, for instance, we would have to fast from 3.13am until 9.36pm. That would mean more than 18 hours without food and drinks. This is tough. A really tough challenge.
 |
| this table shows the starting and ending times of the fasting |
Back at home, it wasn't easy either. The sun gets really hot and the high humidty doesn't help. Also, when I was working, I had to talk a lot and I'm on my feet a lot of the time. Sometimes I would also have to work under the sun and for long hours. So although I had to fast for a shorter period of time, I know that I would always long for the clock to fast forward so that I could break my fast.
In the past, my mum would wake us up at 4.30am and I would eat my bowl of oats, scrambled eggs or whatever leftovers we would have left. We would all sit in front of the tv, while keeping an eye on the clock. I would also make sure I get enough water. I would pour myself a huge glass of water which I would finish before fasting starts. Then I would brush my teeth and shower, do my early morning prayers and then I would go to work.
But now I am in Malmö. Things are, of course, not going to be the same here.
This morning, we had to wake up very early to eat before we start our fast for the day. The alarm woke us up at 2.30am. I had to force myself to get out of bed. Pete, ever the early riser was already up and fiddling with his iPad. I cooked oats and cut a grapefruit and peach for us to share. That was what we had for our morning meal. Pete finished his bowl very quickly. I took my time to slowly finish my bowl. I love my oats but to eat the whole bowl so early in the morning needs some getting used to. Even though it was still early in the morning, we didn't go back to bed immediately. I could even see the sky getting light as I sat on the bed. But soon, my eyes got sleepy and I went to sleep.
I woke up at 9.30am. Pete was already up, all showered and tackling zombies on his computer. I took my time to clean the apartment and soon, I was sitting on the couch, catching up on news online. It feels just like any other day, but I noticed that my throat is very dry. I guess the air here is dry. I didn't notice that before since I always have a glass of water or cup of tea with me.
We spent the rest of the day watching tv and then to distract us from our empty tummies and dry throat, we took a walk. The weather was great for the walk. It was sunny but the wind was nice and cool. During the walk, I always kept on checking on Pete. This is his first ever time fasting and I don't want him to suffer too badly. So far, he says he is ok. We finished our walk, discussing the menu for our meal later, and now we are back at home.
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| a wild rabbit we spotted during our walk |
I am having a slight headache which could be due to the lack of water. I guess I would really need to up the intake of water tonight. Pete is doing great but we still have about four more hours ahead of us. We will make it. Inshallah, we will make it.
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