As much as Ramadan can be the perfect opportunity for you to indulge in your favorite foods,  it can also be the perfect opportunity for the new healthy beginning your body has been craving. If you want to lose weight this Ramadan, you simply have to follow these six must-dos!

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

Hydration is the key to weight loss this Ramadan. Drinking enough fluids will not only keep you from becoming dehydrated while you fast, but it will also control your sugar cravings after you break your fast. A good two liters or eight glasses of fluids a day will suffice.

Have a light, balanced iftar

In Ramadan, your metabolism slows down and your energy needs decrease as a result. The iftar meal isn’t supposed to make up those hours you spent without food. Forget that you haven’t eaten all day and imagine you have sat down for your dinner meal and eat accordingly.

Don’t skip Suhur

It’s true that your “eating hours” are quite limited, but this doesn’t give you an excuse to forgo your suhur meal, the pre-dawn breakfast before the fast. Skipping your suhur will get you hungrier the next day and you will end up overeating for iftar.

Skip processed sugar

It seems the number one cause of weight gain in Ramadan is not the food you eat for iftar. You guessed it, it’s the sugar you consume from Ramadan beverages and sweets.

This Ramadan, challenge yourself to only eat naturally occurring sugar such as fruits, dried fruits, molasses and honey. This will be life changing and oh so effective in ensuring a nice surprise the next time you stand on the scale.