Flash of Ramadan genius

A colleague's suggestion of drinking a healthy protein shake at suhoor before dawn has really made a difference to my energy levels.

I grew up experiencing Ramadan in the winter months, when the short days meant a fast that was mild and almost like an afterthought. Iftar time used to stumble into our days before we had a chance to yearn for it. The meal was always dominated with comforting soups and stews, spreading warmth into our bellies, and the evening was punctuated with cups of hot chocolate and steaming tea against a constant soundtrack of pitter-pattering rain and howling winds.

Of course, this is when I lived in a country that actually witnessed all four seasons.

This height-of-the-summer Ramadan in the UAE means that I never get the sustenance I need to be productive during my work day. If I could add up all the seconds wasted stifling yawns and rubbing tired eyes, I'd be left with at least two extra hours a day.

Because our iftar these days comes at the end of a long day, it is a daily struggle for Mr T and I to resist falling asleep as soon as our bellies are full. And because getting me to wake up predawn for suhoor to do anything more than take a sip from a glass of water is akin to getting Nancy Ajram to admit to plastic surgery, we have been subsisting on one meal every 24 hours. Which, incidentally, does not help in weight loss, seeing as your metabolism will usually decide to shut down and stop co-operating if you refuse to fuel it.

My boss, probably tired of hearing my stomach emit shuddering rumbles every day at exactly 1pm, made a suggestion that I can only describe as genius.

"Since you both wake up to at least drink some water, why don't you have a protein shake instead? Prepare it before you go to sleep and leave it next to your bed."

I was speechless. How did this not occur to anyone before? And if it has, how come no one let me in on this? The idea is brilliant in its simplicity: a protein shake is a meal replacement, nutritious and able to provide sustenance for hours into the day. The more she told me, the more I was convinced that protein shakes for suhoor should be in every Ramadan survival guide across the world.

Much to Mr T's consternation - "That won't work, you'll get diarrhoea, you'll bulk up if you drink those without working out" - I tried my colleague's suggestion anyway. The result? Iftar surprised me with how quickly it appeared over the weekend. An upset stomach was a surmountable obstacle. My husband's scepticism was unfounded. On Friday night, I prepared my now-usual vanilla-flavoured protein shake and placed it on my bedside table. I went to sleep safe in the knowledge that in a few hours, I would gulp it down, half asleep, and go to work for the first time with a lot more energy than I have been exhibiting in recent days.

At 3:45am, I turned off my alarm and struggled to sit up. I reached over to grab my shake, tilted my head back and waited for the cold liquid to fill my mouth. Nothing. It was empty.

Next to me, I could make out Mr T sitting up in bed, watching me attempt to drink from an empty cup.

"I drank it," he said, contrite. "I need it more than you. I have an exam to write in a few hours."

Twice in one week, I was left speechless.

I spent most of the day at my desk working, instead of clutching my stomach in unease, but try as I might, I could not suppress a single one of those insistent yawns. He, on the other hand, passed his four-and-a-half-hour-long project management professional exam in 90 minutes, and with flying colours.

I'm still not quite clear which one of us made the bigger sacrifice.