[mirax3]

I am not sure if there are any Muslims floating around on this forum, but if there are I would LOVE it if we could start a Ramadan support thread. I find it so difficult to stay healthy during Ramadan with all the temptations in the morning and evening as well as finding the time and strength to keep up with an exercise regime.

Please come out, come out wherever you are fellow Muslims!

[mirax3]

BUMP...
nobody?

[Nola Celeste]

Although I'm not Muslim, I remember a good friend of the family inviting us to an Eid-al-Fitr feast with his folks. It was when I was only five or six, but I still remember the occasion for its amazing food, so I can imagine what a temptation the end of Ramadan must be!

You may already have seen this article, but when I read your post, I thought of it: Husain Abdullah plays with the Minnesota Vikings and observed Ramadan fasting while on a grueling workout schedule. He actually woke up at night to fit in his nutritional and hydration needs--which for an NFL player are bound to be pretty huge. His brother observes Ramadan with complete fasting throughout the day, too; I think he plays for the Cardinals.

Maybe you can take a page from the Intermittent Fasting posts, too. I'm sure they have some tips to help deal with the urge to eat too much during that window of opportunity. Bulky, but low-calorie and filling things seem like a good plan for tiding you over for the day.

[Virgo26]

Me me!!!!!!

[slytherinanachronism]

I've decided not to fast this year. I usually do, but I also usually tend to gain weight during Ramadan when I fast. So after thinking about this for a long, long time, I think I'm not going to do it this year. I might fast on the weekends, but honestly if it is a matter of my health (and my weight is a very big deal to both my physical and mental health) I can't risk it. I'm not very religious anyway, I'm more agnostic than anything. Still I feel a little strange being the only person in my family not fasting this year. I'm just going to try to do everything else, like try to pray more regularly, deal with my addictions, and try to be a better person overall. Ramadan fasting is such a good way to cleanse the soul and I really feel upset/uncomfortable about not doing it this year. Good luck though, and I applaud your decision to fast even though it makes losing weight difficult. In the end, it's all about calories, so as long as you don't go crazy after Iftar I think you'll be fine. And make sure to drink as much water as you can at night and before sunrise . . . Ramadan fasting is actually really similar to regular Intermittent Fasting (except for the no water rule), I think, and there are a lot of threads here on 3fc about that which may help you. Good luck!

[Jalsa]

I am here and fasting

[FaithBW]

How is everyone doing with their fast and weight loss? I honestly feel like fasting is throwing me off. I have lost five pounds during the two weeks when I was fasting and then my weight stalled during the week when my period came. Although, I admit that I felt better during that week because I could resume exercising and track my calories better.

Now that I'm fasting again, I haven't exercised because I don't have the energy after 16 hours of not eating and I find it almost impossible to get up early enough to eat and then exercise in the morning before fajr.

[Esha]

Hi all, I have been fasting too. I don't exercise though because i can't seem to find the energy to do it. But i have lost weight though! Lost about 2 kg.

I think it's because i've been staying away from all the deserts, sweets and cookies which people usually consume this time of month. Big temptations though but so far i've been able to avoid them.

I don't eat that much either when it's time to break fast, because after that is terawih prayers and prayer on a full stomach isn't so pleasant. Overall ramadan has been quite a joyous month for me. Pretty happy.

Only wished i managed exercising. Haven't been to the gym at all!

[Liverbird]

I'm fasting! It does drain me of energy, but Ramadan is simply very important to me. I haven't gained or lost (maybe I've lost a pound or two) weight, however. It doesn't really affect me, but it does keep me from exercising, which is a bit of a bummer.