RAMADAN

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  • ahmadfahmy
    ahmadfahmy Posts: 214 Member
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    Just curious...are there any muslims on here that will be fasting for the 30 days of Ramadan and have been successful in the past at losing weight while fasting? I have been fasting this week and found that the 21 hours or so of fasting does a toll on my body so even if I eat a small amount at night, I just maintain my weight. I know it's probably because my body goes in starvation mode. I also am not exercising while fasting for obvious reasons. Does anyone have any tips?

    your body cannot go into starvation mode since you are only fasting for 16 hrs. If you want to exercise, wait 1 hr after iftar and you should be ok. just make sure you stay hydrated and consume enough calories.
  • umer76
    umer76 Posts: 1,272 Member
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    Looking forward to Ramadan starting tomorrow. I think we in Norway will have the longest fast i.e. 19 hours and 50 minutes, nearly 20 hours. Hopefully we will manage it successfully. Usually I gain by the end of ramadan!
  • IndianMuslim
    IndianMuslim Posts: 154
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    Good luck and Ramadan Mubarak!
  • TheBitSlinger
    TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
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    What's the point in fasting if you're aren't actually going to gave up something? Just curious... *shrug*
  • umer76
    umer76 Posts: 1,272 Member
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    What's the point in fasting if you're aren't actually going to gave up something? Just curious... *shrug*
    Fasting is giving up all the nice foods and drinks on the wish of your God from Dawn to Dusk. It teaches discipline and self control. Point of being hungry for all the time is to clean up your inside both physically and spiritually. Donate more of your money to the needy.
  • YourThoughtsCreateYourDestiny
    YourThoughtsCreateYourDestiny Posts: 10 Member
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    Ramadan Kareem! : )
  • IndianMuslim
    IndianMuslim Posts: 154
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    I agree Ramadan is about giving up the things we do and consume on a regular basis; therefore, I chose not to go to the gym at all during this month of fasting. I also refrain from watching television, movies, music, etc.

    Hope everyone is having a blessed Ramadan and may Allah accept our fasts and prayers. Ameen.
  • amirahdaboss
    amirahdaboss Posts: 921 Member
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    Bump because Ramadan is coming up again very soon
  • amblight
    amblight Posts: 350 Member
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    It's going to be hard for fasting muslims living far north this year... I know the sun doesn't go down here until 10:30pm, and goes up already at 4am, so it's going to be no breakfast either...
    Does any of you choose to adapt a different sleeping pattern during ramadan too? That would probably be really usefull. Splitting your sleep in 2, for instance, so getting 5 hours when you get home from work or what ever, eat dinner after sunset, then getting another 3 hours of shut eye, before breakfast.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    I am not a Muslim either, but I know that 21 hours of fasting will NOT put you in starvation mode. It takes at least 72 hours for that to have any effect. Many people have been successful at losing weight during a fast. It all comes down to the total calories for the day consumed being less than what is used (in vs. out).

    "starvation mode" is a misleading term... the body has various different responses to insufficient food intake and they kick in at different times. The most immediate response - extreme hunger - can and often does kick in within the fasting period, especially for the first few days, and that can lead to overeating later on (e.g. at iftaar (post-fasting meal) in this case). Other, more long term responses won't kick in within the time or within 72 hours, although the body is likely to run out of glycogen within 24 hrs, but this isn't starvation mode it's just running out of glycogen.

    Having lived in the middle east for the past 7 years and I have many Muslim friends, plus I've fasted and eaten iftaar in the past, I think the biggest danger is overeating during the night. You get really hungry during the day, and then you get plied with stuff like sambosa and other deep fried delicacies for iftaar (although that's may be a guest/hospitality thing).... if that kind of foods on offer for iftaar I think it'd be easy to eat your entire daily calories and then some for iftaar......... quite a few of my friends have said they gain weight during Ramadan, and I'd guess this is the reason why.

    so my advice would be to be really careful with weighing and logging your food during the night, especially for iftaar when you're going to be starving hungry. Also, sambosa and similar is probably not the best choice for iftaar... something less calorie dense would probably be better. But in any case divide your calories between iftaar and suhoor (or iftaar, suhoor and midnight snacks) and weigh and log your food carefully. So long as you're eating your normal amount of calories (albeit during the night) then your weight loss should continue as planned. But bear in mind you're likely to see fairly wild scale weight fluctuations due to your glycogen stores becoming depleted while fasting then replenished at night. So ignore day to day fluctuations and focus on the big picture.
  • rencawdor24
    rencawdor24 Posts: 157 Member
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    I am a muslim n i will be fasting for 30 days... Last year i lost 20 pounds during Ramadan without exercise... I used to open my fast with any energy drink... That helped me to avoid eating too much... That was a bit hard but worth it... Oh and any seasonal fruit is a must... Best of luck :)

    Hi,

    20lb is a lot to lose in one month. If you don't mind me asking, what was your starting weight?
    I am 161lb and need to lose 21lb to hit my goal. Would be amazing if I can do it in one month!!
    What did you do other then open your fast with an energy drink?
  • rencawdor24
    rencawdor24 Posts: 157 Member
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    I am also a Muslim and fast every year.
    Over the last couple of years I have lost a few pounds during Ramadan. This is entirely possible if you fast the correct and healthy way. I tend to lose 7lb during the month and then gain 3lb soon after Ramadan (I think this is water weight. that I gain back). I don't exercise at all during Ramadan.

    Suhoor - I have porridge. Since I have started doing this rather then eating a heavy meal like I used to, I feel much better. The porridge keeps me going longer and makes me feel lighter and not heavy and lethargic (like rice used to).

    Iftar - I have 1-3 dates, 1 glass of juice/milkshake.
    I then pray my Magrib. When I return, I have a bowl of chopped mixed fruit and 1 glass of water. By this time I am pretty full. I then eat whatever I feel like - usually small portion of kichdri, chana and maybe one or two fried stuff. I can never manage more then that as already full on the fruit and water and juice.

    This has worked for me in helping me to lose weight AND I feel much better during Ramadan. I can also pray my taraweeh better, an dot feel too full and awful. So this way of eating actually helps me be more spiritual aswell as lose weight.

    I would recommend you do research on the Sunnah way of opening fast. If you follow that, you should not put on weight!

    EVERY Ramadan before this, I have always gained weight!
  • rencawdor24
    rencawdor24 Posts: 157 Member
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    I am also a Muslim and fast every year.
    Over the last couple of years I have lost a few pounds during Ramadan. This is entirely possible if you fast the correct and healthy way. I tend to lose 7lb during the month and then gain 3lb soon after Ramadan (I think this is water weight. that I gain back). I don't exercise at all during Ramadan.

    Suhoor - I have porridge. Since I have started doing this rather then eating a heavy meal like I used to, I feel much better. The porridge keeps me going longer and makes me feel lighter and not heavy and lethargic (like rice used to).

    Iftar - I have 1-3 dates, 1 glass of juice/milkshake.
    I then pray my Magrib. When I return, I have a bowl of chopped mixed fruit and 1 glass of water. By this time I am pretty full. I then eat whatever I feel like - usually small portion of kichdri, chana and maybe one or two fried stuff. I can never manage more then that as already full on the fruit and water and juice.

    This has worked for me in helping me to lose weight AND I feel much better during Ramadan. I can also pray my taraweeh better, an dot feel too full and awful. So this way of eating actually helps me be more spiritual aswell as lose weight.

    I would recommend you do research on the Sunnah way of opening fast. If you follow that, you should not put on weight!

    EVERY Ramadan before this, I have always gained weight!

    Also, after Taraweeh, I eat something if I feel hungry. I just go with what I feel.
    And as its hotter now, I try and drink lots in the evening as otherwise my migraine might get triggered.
  • amirahdaboss
    amirahdaboss Posts: 921 Member
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    I lost 15 pounds last ramadan(which came back on haha) and I did it by drinking lotssssssss of water and I rarely ate suhoor
  • rencawdor24
    rencawdor24 Posts: 157 Member
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    I lost 15 pounds last ramadan(which came back on haha) and I did it by drinking lotssssssss of water and I rarely ate suhoor

    Just wondering, it did come back within a month or two or did the weight take time to come back on?
  • PaleoPath4Lyfe
    PaleoPath4Lyfe Posts: 3,161 Member
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    I will be fasting...even though my TOM will start around the time we begin(not pleased::mad: ). Unfortunately for me I can't eat a whole lot during that time but I drink a lot of water. As for exercise, I'm not sure but if anything,I may be jumping rope.
    I'm not an expert on Islam, but aren't you allowed to not fast during menstration? I know a lot of muslims and last year I asked a lot of questions like do diabetics have to fast, pregnant women, etc. and they told me that menstration was another circumstance in which you are permitted to abstain from fasting.

    This is true. Women do not have to fast during their time of the month, but are suppose to make it up after Ramadan is over.
    Not to derail the topic of this thread, but what about diabetics? It wouldn't be feasible for them to fast at any point. I'm assuming they just don't make it up and they're permanently excused, right?

    Not true. I am Diabetic and I do intermittent fasting along with a high fat, moderate protein and lower carb way of eating.

    My blood sugar stays consistent with no swings high to low or vice versa.
  • djkshdfd
    djkshdfd Posts: 443 Member
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    Bump
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    I will be fasting...even though my TOM will start around the time we begin(not pleased::mad: ). Unfortunately for me I can't eat a whole lot during that time but I drink a lot of water. As for exercise, I'm not sure but if anything,I may be jumping rope.
    I'm not an expert on Islam, but aren't you allowed to not fast during menstration? I know a lot of muslims and last year I asked a lot of questions like do diabetics have to fast, pregnant women, etc. and they told me that menstration was another circumstance in which you are permitted to abstain from fasting.

    This is true. Women do not have to fast during their time of the month, but are suppose to make it up after Ramadan is over.
    Not to derail the topic of this thread, but what about diabetics? It wouldn't be feasible for them to fast at any point. I'm assuming they just don't make it up and they're permanently excused, right?

    Not true. I am Diabetic and I do intermittent fasting along with a high fat, moderate protein and lower carb way of eating.

    My blood sugar stays consistent with no swings high to low or vice versa.

    Not all diabetes is the same..... type 1 diabetes usually would mean not fasting at all. type 2 it would probably depend on the individual - fasting may actually help some people with this.

    it is true that a permanent medical reason to not fast means that they never have to make up the fasts. you only make up the fasts after the medical issue has gone away.
  • Redribbon73
    Redribbon73 Posts: 117 Member
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    Ramadan mubarak!!!

    I am fasting too but trying really hard to log calories, it's so difficult since ramadhan food is not the same as we eat year round.
    I am avoiding or taking only very small piece of the snacks foods. I keep my main meal on priority and only if I really want a small help g of the finger foods.

    At suhoor I can nor eat much due to only 3 hours between maghrib but it's going well.

    I haven't worked out either I don't want to make the already long fasts even harder and I have a toddler to keep me active!! I will catch up on workouts after ramadhan InshAllah. I was working g out most days too!

    InshAllah those fasting for ramadhan have a blessed month and achieve your goals both spiritually and physically.
  • rencawdor24
    rencawdor24 Posts: 157 Member
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    Ramadan Mubarak everyone!

    Yesterday I found that after I'd had some dates, a bowl of fruits and milkshake, I was pretty much full!

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