Week 10 : Nutrition & Fitness

The Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan, started around mid-April. During this month, a drastic change to diet and lifestyle takes place in the lives of millions. During Ramadan, we do not eat nor drink from sun dawn till dusk … yes, not even water. For me, over the past 7 years, Ramadan took place over the summer when I was doing summer camp, summer school, or summer internships. I would often have only one meal a day, which “Iftar” after dusk because otherwise, it would mess up my sleeping schedule. Between food and sleep, I would always choose the latter one :) On such days, I avoid cardio or any intense workout due to low blood sugar and my physical activity is limited to walking and archery practice. Overall, I get more irritated and sensitive whenever I have to adapt to this one-meal-a-day system. However, it elevates my energy and I seem to be more productive and focused! My archery performance during practice is not negatively influnced by the way I am eating.

It’s been a long time since I last had a day of three full meals. I recently noticed that, for me, eating and mood swings are correlated. Often after I eat, I would feel down and my energy is drained. Therefore, on regular days when I do not have to fast, I still follow this same routine to some extent just to avoid that “feeling down” moment. I do realize that this is defiantly not the most optimal way. However, I try to get the nutrients I need for my body as much as possible. So even if I am eating one meal, I try to include all the macronutrients my body needs.

When I logged my food over three days using myFitnessPal, I learned a lot about my own diet. I know I am not the most the healthiest person, and I don’t eat much, but it is interesting to be mindful about what I eat. Over the three days, I noticed the inconsistency of the type of food I eat. However, I remained somewhat consistent with my macronutrients (≈50% carbs, 30% fat, 20% protein) as well as my calorie intake (≈1100 calories/day).