800 VALIANTHow to Do Intermittent Fasting During Ramadan?
Fasting during the holy month of Ramadan can be a great excuse to eat unhealthy foods, eat more than we require & pack on unwanted weight but packing on, but simple swaps and balanced meals may prevent the unnecessary weight gain, similar to intermittent fasting and help with weight loss during Ramadan in many countries not just the UAE.
Research on Ramadan
Numerous studies have been carried out to determine the health benefits of fasting during Ramadan. Not just a holy month, many Muslims each year decide to use it as an opportunity to start a new diet regime.
Medical research conducted shows that Ramadan fasting can lead to changes in body composition and have beneficial effects such as increased weight loss, reductions in total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels. These improvements can contribute to increased cardiovascular health.
Some studies have even shown a link between fasting during Ramadan, that is for a consistent period each day and for a consecutive number of days, can also be positive for insulin sensitivity and the control of blood glucose levels, particularly for people living with type 2 diabetes.
In general the impacts of Ramadan are quite well discussed, two of the crucial ones which people often overlook are the importance of sleep quality and hydration. Ensuring that disrupted sleep patterns are compensated for and sufficient sleep quality and duration is being ensured is critical to avoid any other health issues. Sleep deprivation, defined as consistently not getting enough sleep, is medically proven to impair cognitive function, alertness and cause mood swings. More importantly, it can also weaken the immune system and disrupt the body's hormones, thereby increasing the risk of impaired physical health and risk of chronic diseases.
The average amount of water recommended for adult males is around 4 litres per day whilst for adult females it is 3 litres. Hydration during ramadan should be managed properly, ensuring that the daily required amount is consumed during non-fasting hours.
FURTHER READING & RESEARCH
Talk To Our Expert In Diet & Nutrition
How To Lose Weight During Ramadan?
Having the best diet during Ramadan means your iftar meal is the key to healthy eating. After a long fast, getting the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats along with some fiber is an ideal iftar meal to nourish your body, effectively digest your food & ensure you don’t eat more than required.
Sugar & fat cravings are likely to be at their highest after any fast, leading to the fast going wrong and causing weight gain. Choose healthier options & unrefined sugars and sweetener like dates. Choose unsaturated, healthier fats such as avocados, olives, nuts & seeds to prevent packing on the extra weight.
It is also important to have a suhoor meal to keep you energized throughout the day instead of groggy and tired. Oatmeal, eggs & avocado, Greek yogurt with fruits or peanut butter on toast with fruit are great options.
It can seem impossible to drink enough water with long hours of fasting but ensure to drink at least one glass per hour after breaking your fast. Ensuring to hydrate adequately will not only prevent dehydration but will also reduce any sugar cravings from long fasting hours.
Breakdown of Intermittent Fasting During Ramadan
Understanding the concept and science behind intermittent fasting is important when implementing it in your Ramadan routine. First, lets go through an ideal day for a person who is using the month as an opportunity to implement intermittent fasting.
-
Suhoor (Pre-Dawn Meal)
- Begin with a balanced meal that includes complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains (oats, whole wheat bread) or starchy vegetables (sweet potatoes).
- Include a good source of lean protein, such as eggs, yogurt, or legumes.
- Add healthy fats from sources like avocado, nuts, or olive oil.
- Incorporate a variety of vegetables and fruits for essential vitamins and minerals.
- Drink sufficient water to stay hydrated until the beginning of the fasting period.
-
Iftar (Breaking Fast)
- Start with the traditional dates and water.
- Begin the meal with a soup or a salad to hydrate and prepare the digestive system.
- Include a source of lean protein, such as grilled chicken, fish, or legumes, to promote satiety and muscle maintenance.
- Incorporate complex carbohydrates, like brown rice, quinoa, or whole wheat pasta, for sustained energy.
- Add a variety of vegetables to provide fiber and essential nutrients.
- Include a small portion of healthy fats, such as olive oil, nuts, or avocado.
- Limit sugary and fried foods, as they can lead to energy crashes and hinder weight loss goals.
-
Evening Snack
- Choose a light, balanced snack that includes protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
- Examples include a handful of nuts, Greek yogurt with berries, or a small portion of hummus with carrot sticks.
The Science Behind Intermittent Fasting
At its core, intermittent fasting is a pattern of eating that switches between periods of time where no food is eaten (fasting periods) and periods of time where eating food is allowed. As a diet, it has grown in popularity because so many people have seen so many beneficial effects from adopting it, something which has been reinforced by a wide and ever-growing body of published peer-reviewed medical research papers.
Types of Intermittent Fasting
There are several types of intermittent fasting that have different windows of eating and fasting periods. One of the most popular is the 16/8 method, where you fast for 16 hours in a day and eat for 8 hours. If this sounds complicated then one easy way to keep track is by downloading an intermittent fasting app for your smartphone such as this Fasting app by Leap Fitness Group for Android which is also available for apple devices (click here for the link to the Itunes UAE page of the app).
How Intermittent Fasting Works?
To understand the effect that intermittent fasting can have on the human body, understanding of how the body is fueled and how energy is created. This process is called metabolism, the easiest way to think of it is to imagine your body as a car, the engine converts fuel (petrol) into energy (forward motion).
The process by which this happens in an engine is called internal combustion. The efficiency of that process is governed by factors such as the condition, quality, age and size of the engine. If the car is not moving, the engine is not under load and is idle, since it is still switched on it is still burning fuel to stay idle.
In the human body, the metaphor of an engine running at idle would be keeping the body alive by breathing and moving. This is referred to as the resting metabolic rate, or the number of calories consumed by the body when at rest. This covers the functions of the body that include breathing, circulating blood by pumping the heart, other functions of the various organs in the body and basic neurological functions. The average male adult can expect their resting metabolic rate to be around 1,600 to 1,800 calories / day, whilst the average female adult can expect to be between 1,400 and 1,600 calories / day, your exact rate can be worked out by our clinical nutritionist in Dubai.
The human body will usually seek to power the metabolism with glucose because it is the most easily converted energy source. When intermittent fasting, after a period of time, thought to be around 12 hours, the body will deplete this blood sugar source of energy and naturally transition to using stored fat cells, a state called ketosis. Part of the reason for this is thought to be the resulting increase in norepinephrine in the body, which is generally thought to lead to increased fat burning.
In addition to this, intermittent fasting will help cells recycle, called autophagy, and increase the production of growth hormone as well as improving insulin sensitivity.
The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting
To understand the effect that intermittent fasting can have on the human body, understanding of how the body is fueled and how energy is created. This process is called metabolism, the easiest way to think of it is to imagine your body as a car, the engine converts fuel (petrol) into energy (forward motion).
The process by which this happens in an engine is called internal combustion. The efficiency of that process is governed by factors such as the condition, quality, age and size of the engine. If the car is not moving, the engine is not under load and is idle, since it is still switched on it is still burning fuel to stay idle.
In the human body, the metaphor of an engine running at idle would be keeping the body alive by breathing and moving. This is referred to as the resting metabolic rate, or the number of calories consumed by the body when at rest. This covers the functions of the body that include breathing, circulating blood by pumping the heart, other functions of the various organs in the body and basic neurological functions. The average male adult can expect their resting metabolic rate to be around 1,600 to 1,800 calories / day, whilst the average female adult can expect to be between 1,400 and 1,600 calories / day, your exact rate can be worked out by our clinical nutritionist in Dubai.
The human body will usually seek to power the metabolism with glucose because it is the most easily converted energy source. When intermittent fasting, after a period of time, thought to be around 12 hours, the body will deplete this blood sugar source of energy and naturally transition to using stored fat cells, a state called ketosis. Part of the reason for this is thought to be the resulting increase in norepinephrine in the body, which is generally thought to lead to increased fat burning.
In addition to this, intermittent fasting helps cells recycle, called autophagy, and increase the production of growth hormone as well as improving insulin sensitivity. Weight loss and enhanced brain function are both cited as benefits that have been experienced by people trying intermittent fasting in the short term, whilst over the longer term both animal and human studies have shown that intermittent fasting can help improve cardiovascular markers such as blood pressure, choleterol levels and oxidative stress.
In particular, intermittent fasting has been found to help with people struggling with:
- Type 2 diabetes
Intermittent fasting has shown promise in improving insulin sensitivity and glycemic control in individuals with type 2 diabetes. - Obesity
Intermittent fasting can aid in weight loss and help break the cycle of overeating, supporting long-term weight management. - Neurological disorders
Animal studies suggest that intermittent fasting might have protective effects against neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. - Cardiovascular diseases
Some research indicates that intermittent fasting may help reduce the risk factors associated with cardiovascular diseases, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels.