The month of Ramzan is when a lot of delicious food and delicacies are in an endless supply around you. There are no holds barred when it comes to different food choices that are available to you during this month, and it can get a little hard to stick to your diet.

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People who regularly go to the gym are caught in a dilemma. They keep asking themselves, 'Should I be sticking to my diet or should I go all out and get back on track after Eid?'

How about finding a middle ground? You can almost always find a middle ground.

Here are a few practical ways you can eat during Ramzan and not gain fat:

1. Set Your Goal As Maintenance And Not Fat Loss Or Muscle Gain

Usually, one of the following two things happen during Ramzan:

a. You gain weight hogging all the festive delicacies. 

b. You lose weight as the long fasting hours and the heat kill the hunger.

Your goal should be trying to maintain your weight, and you can go a step ahead and track your calorie intake with the help of an app. You roughly maintain your body weight consuming 14 to 16 calories per lb. of your body weight.

Multiply your weight (in lbs.) by 15 and that's your maintenance calories. For example, a 150 lb. man would maintain weight at roughly 2250 kcals.

2. Pick Foods On How Your Appetite Acts

If you get hungry easily, pick low-calorie foods like egg whites, lean cuts of meat, whey protein, fibrous veggies, fruits, potatoes, etc. If you struggle to consume the calories, pick calorie-dense foods like whole eggs, fatty cuts of chicken, whey protein, biryani, kheer, desserts, etc.

3. Eat Adequate Protein

To maintain your weight and muscle, it is a good idea to consume 0.7 to 0.8g protein per lb. of body weight. For example, the 150 lb. dude would need to consume 105 to 120 grams of protein per day. 

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These foods can help with your daily protein intake - eggs, chicken, mutton, yoghurt, whey protein shakes, etc.

4. Try Not To Drop Your Calories

Yeah, I know if you eat less and lose some weight, what would be the harm in that right? But the following things could happen if you eat fewer calories:

a. You may be hungry through the day

b. You may feel lethargic

c. Your recovery may be compromised

5. Hydrate Yourself

Even though the feeding window is extremely small, aim to get in at least 2.5 to 3 litres of water in your system, as it is essential for your system's functioning and you may be risking dehydration, as there is a good chance you may be dehydrated during the day.

So. do this and ensure that you are in a good position to start putting in the work in the gym once the fasting days are over.

Author Bio:

Pratik Thakkar is the co-founder and director of GetSetGo Fitness, an online fitness company and the founder of Mars Nutrition, a nutrition supplement company. Both his companies are geared towards providing you with the right information and products without any false or fake claims. You can reach out to him at pratik@getsetgo.fitness and follow him on Instagram.