Sabah’s bantamweight prospect Hisyam “Zephyrus” Samsudin has not gone easy on himself despite it being the fasting month.

The 30-day period called Ramadan or the holy month – which began on May 6 – could be a tiring period for some, but Samsudin is certain there are many benefits throughout this period.

“Fasting month has always been good,” the Ewako MMA owner said in a confident tone.

“It’s a great way to lose weight because we eat less. The only difficult thing is to skip training in the morning because I rather rest and keep my energy for the evening period. Besides that, training is still on as usual.”

Samsudin admitted Ramadan could also affect someone’s healthy diet but shared how he still keeps his clean eating in check.

To him, a slight drift off his martial arts program which includes diet, training, and rest can have an adverse effect on his journey.

“There are many ways everyone observing the fasting month can eat healthily. For instance, in the morning as fast begins, I make an oats banana milkshake. Oats is the best food to consume during this time because it will make you feel full longer than other food,” the ONE Championship athlete stated.

“At night when I break fast, I drink a lot of water and eat fruits such as dates and banana. I hate training with a full stomach. At night, I usually don’t eat, and I keep it that way until I wake up at 5 am to have my oats shake again.”

His biggest tip is to make the most filling meal in the shortest space of time.

“Owning a gym [Ewako MMA] I don’t really have much time to cook because I’m taking care of the gym and teaching classes. So, oats are really the ultimate meal. Just soak it in milk overnight and leave it in the fridge. You can add honey and some nuts for more flavor too.”

With the end of the holy month near, Samsudin is excited to take his training back to its usual pace which includes three to four training sessions a day ranging from cardio, strength, and conditioning, striking, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

“It’s been less work for me, but I’m ready to return to full training capacity. The good thing about being a full-time athlete is I really have the time to train and rest in the morning.

“But I’m just really addicted to training, and I admit I over-train a lot.”

Video link #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYqjclq-wfM&t=218s