AA!! Here in the UK fasting will be from about 3am to 9pm!! Last year i tried to avoid fried foods at iftar. Although i wasn't successful throughout the 30 days. I aimed to have plenty of water and fruit followed by a main meal instead of lots snacks for iftar and forced myself to have a breakfast at sahoor. As for exercise, i managed the treadmill a couple of times just before iftar If i had energy. I hope we can get a good group together this year!! Would be great to see the different health and fitness regimes during Ramadan.

Asalamu aleikum

This year will be my first Ramadan on MFP. In the past 5 Ramadans I just ate what I fancied and I didn't exercise as I work full time and job is pretty active.

With Ramadan only about 18 days away I wonder how I will get on this year. I have just reached my target weight, so I have a couple of weeks to adjust to eating more. I will fast a few days before the start of Ramadan Insha'Allah just to suss things out and give my body a taster of what's to come.

One thing that I will continue to do this Ramadan is to break my fast with dates and milk. I found that in doing so I'm less hungry the next day and have a bit more energy. At the moment I routinely drink 9-12 glasses of water a day and I'll try to keep doing that. As for exercise... I just have to give it a try but I think I'll have to do it at iftaar after breaking my fast and before having my dinner. I don't think I could exercise at suhoor time. It would wake me up too much and I have to sleep after suhoor to be fresh enough for work.

@hunny73, I think eating fruit before dinner is a good idea. Eating salad or fresh/raw veg would be a good healthy filler before the main meal too. I'll give that a try. Jazak Allah Khairan sister.

Salaam everyone! This will be my second Ramadan back in the States since I first started fasting two decades ago. Last year was physically challenging because of obvious reasons, like the length of our daily fasting and the school year. I am so grateful that our son can sleep in because it was so difficult for him...this means I can too It may of been the most difficult, however it was the most spiritual Ramadan for me...

Anywho, I followed Wieght watchers for a year. I did I well for 6 mth than stalled. Thank God, I have gained a healthy lifestyle and maintained my WW lost wt..I also had a wonderful nutritional therapist which helped me a lot, but I still was stuck.

Six was ago I got so frustrated because I wkd so had to lose 1/4lb w gd diet n ex, only to gain 3 lb from one semi good meal at a Resturant. Then it took me 4wks to get it off...this cycle is what got me frustrated and to try something drastic. I started researching stalled metabolisms and low carb diets came up many times, especially Atkins. My therapist kept telling me she thought I had to limit my carbs, but I was resistant, I thought I wouldn't ever be able to live a life wo start he's or fruit....

Well...I bought the Atkins book and decided to follow a so call 'diet'...

It was amazing after three days, I lost my appetite for food! And NO sugar cravings...Ahamdullah...I have lost 7lb the first 2wks and I realive that Atkins is not a 'diet' it is a lifestyle. I feel so much better and no cravings..After the abduction phase, I can slowly add some carbs...my first one was raspberries, it's only 1oz but what a treat! While on ww a treat was ice cream, but now it's raspberries, how wonderful it that!

As far as Fasting, I am thinking that following a low carb plan might make for better energy levels while fasting. I hv learned so much from my research into why low carbs works for me, so I am hoping I can apply this to fasting as well. My first three days of Ramadan hv always been wonderful, where as everyonelse it's their worst. After the first three days my blood sugar drops and extreme exhaustion sets it. Inshallah, inshallah, inshallah...through low carbs my body will be able to maintain a more stable blood sugar throughout the day, so I can maintain my active lifestyle and be able to hv the energy to invite fasting unv kids for fatour who are so far away from there families during Ramadan...

Friends, I am so glad I found this discussion Grp! I need it for healthy living support and spiritual support...please feel free to add me as a friend...take care, live healthy and enjoy your day!
A.S. Kim

Asalaamu Alaikum,

I recently posted something on the Nutrition forum about limiting calorie intake during Ramadan. I was greeted with a lot of negativity and my post was locked by MFP. My question is regarding limiting calorie instake to approximately 600 calories a day, My plan is to consume a Shakeology shake (containing most of the vitamins & nutrients for the day) at sahoor and another one for iftar.

Each shake is 295 calories and consists of one banana, one scoope of chocolate shakeology, one cup of light almond milk, and ice.

I just wanted to know if anyone has ever tried consuming such little calories during Ramadan. MFP locked my original post and told me to post here but unfortunately, I believe that they have limited my audience. I have always fasted Ramadan in the US. I never attempted to restrict my calories before but I do not want to indulge this year during iftar. I don't want to eat heavy and then go to sleep soon after.

Thank you.

Salaamu aleikoum,

Of course losing weight isn't the purpose of Ramadan for Muslims. The purpose and intention should be pleasing and worship of Allah. All the health ascepts are just a byproduct of faith. Ramadan being the holiest of months, it is the prime time to ask Allah for guidance in our health goals including weight loss/gain. Ramadan is a time in which we are suppose to master self control. This self control and discipline is not limited to the day. This training during the day extends to all parts of our lives and our behavior. We can show the benefit of this training then sitting down to an iftar spread and NOT eating everything in sight. And also Ramadan throu fasting, if our intention are correct, we may see the errors of ways - for examples those who overeat and overindulge may notice this mistake when their faith demands them forego meals and feed the people. Ramadan also is a natural way that Allah give us for natural health realignment and detox.

Looking at fasting from a sciencitific point of view, mankind has been doing intermittent fasting or the stop eat stop method for centuries. The conception isn't new. Only in this century with the mass manipulation of the Cheitan and hizb al Cheitan do we find programmed to need and eat more and more.

But with that said, fasting Ramadan before we begin, we should put our intention and imam in check. Ponder the reason WHY then have the correct before the first day. Everything done with the right intention has mercy and blessing in it.

Teaching of our Prophet clearly give us an idea how to live our daily lives but also how to fast Ramadan. Over eating and picking the poorest of choice does end up hurting the body in the month. Over eating also prevents us from being to complete our religious duties.

I think a little goes along way in Ramadan. As the hadith says ---On the authority of Al-Miqdaam ibn Maadiy-Karib who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah saying: "No human ever filled a vessel worse than the stomach. Sufficient for any son of Adam are some morsels to keep his back straight. But if it must be, then one third for his food, one third for his drink and one third for his breath."

The Prophet Mohamed peace be upon him used to break his fast with dates.--- "Break your fast with a date, or with water because it is pure."[Abu Dawud and Tirmidhi] Dates have been shown to return glucose levels to normal after fasting. Some water or some fresh natural juice is good option too. I donnow about protein shakes and those faux foods. I tried protein powder out myself last year. And I found it completely pointless since Allah give mankind a HUGE array of natural foods halal for us to enjoy -- so why when pumped ourselves with these chemicals? Even the Hadith above tells to eat natural. Allahu Allem.

After praying maghrib I know for myself some light soup and salad are generally what I eat and want to eat. On the table, there is usually some finger foods that I now bake not fry like bourek; vegetable mini pizzas or mini sandwiches. Very light. IMHO it is unrealistic to say do not eat any sweets the whole Ramadan. So many cultures, the esp Arabic culture traditional have these sweets special for Ramadan and Eid. In fact it is okay to enjoy little sweetness. But have a piece of cake AFTER you have eaten a balanced meal, drunk a large glass of water and prayed Tarawee --- and then given your digestive system time to settle and register the food you have eaten. Most of the time, you probably won't even want it! Esp in the summertime!

Anyway, may Allah accept all of our fasting, good deeds and worship. And forgive us our shortcomings and mistakes. And let this be a joyous, healthy and healing Ramadan too!

@ Heniko - Inspired and very well written sister - may Allah reward you for your efforts:flowerforyou:

Assalamu Alaikum.

Waleikoum esalaam everyone,

And welcome to the new members! Machallah Ramadan really is right around the corner!

RevertMuslima, machallah and dzjk Allah kheirn sister! May Allah guide us all this Ramdan towards a more halal, pious, and healthy life. ((hugs))

Moonlighturk, by WA do you mean Washington state in the US or another place? You could look it on site on islamicfinder.com If you are usually running around 5 or 6 am, that should be right after fadjr so you had probably already had your suhour. It should be fine I think but hydration would be something of concern, since running you run ALOT of energy and you need to hydrate yourself. So I would, and I'm not an expert try it out for the first few days at your usual time. And if you feel fine, continue. The first few days of fasting are usually for many the most difficult. But if you feel weak or light-headed I would say stop. And do a run after about an hour of iftar ... or after Tarawee ... or even before suhour. Each body works different. Allah machallah created us all similarly yet different. There is no cookie cutter answer for health. IMHO trail and error is best!

Enchallah Allah guide to you what is right and healthy for you Moonlightturk!

Congrats on the 5th..so you are pregnant? why are you fasting? well guys check out productivemuslim.com. Has a good plan for ramadan!

Do your Research about Intermittent Fasting its really helpful and with ramadan coming for us muslimes its great chance to try this thing called Intermittent Fasting..

you can read about it here
http://www.leangains.com/