Ramadan: Three Days In

As I sit here to type up this post, I am already in my PJs and partly nodding off with an overstuffed belly. It is the end of Day 3 of Ramadan and I am still getting into some sort of rhythm. One of the things that I have been thinking of all day is what a huge change in lifestyle that I am going through with Ramadan. I feel like when we talk about Ramadan, the focus is so much on the fast and the lack of food or water. There is more to Ramadan than not eating.



 For me, it has meant that I can't go to the gym. This morning at work I said to one of my co-workers, "I miss the gym." She laughed at me because it seemed like such an unusual thing to say.The gym for me is a mental place of solace. I challenge myself mentally so that I can perform better physically. I work out first thing in the morning so exercise sets the pace for the rest of my day.

The other thing I really miss is uninterrupted sleep. I am still getting almost the same amount of sleep I get normally. It is just broken into pieces, before Suhoor and after Suhoor. Both phases are uncomfortable because I go straight to bed after stuffing myself with food. I am thinking maybe I should eat less. This is not an attractive option because I need the calories.

The lack of good sleep as meant I don't wear full make-up to work. I would rather spend my extra time in bed than prettying up for work. Heck, I did not have time to brush my hair today until I got to work. Going through these changes is a bit destabilizing especially for my routine craving self. However, this compromise is all part of the sacrifice of Ramadan.

Even as I adjust to Ramadan, I am still actively hunting for recipe inspiration that I can eat and share here. One of the things that has also changed with Ramadan is that I am cooking my dinner every night. I am trying to focus on the blessing of food by creating a healthy feast for myself each night. Today, I came across an article on GuardianUK that really gave me ideas. It is a collection of recipes for tomatoes. I eat a lot of tomatoes due to my Yoruba roots. It would be nice to learn different ways of handling the tomatoes outside of my sauce like preference. I am thinking of using the tomato vinegar recipe soon.