The trick to losing weight in Ramadan isn't just exercise, but smart exercising
CAIRO: Too much food makes you fat. This is a fact that cannot be argued. But, what exactly is too much?
Foremost on everybody’s mind during the month of Ramadan is, “Why do I gain weight, I barely eat anything.” Well, sorry to say, but the old equation of energy in, energy out does not change. It is irrelevant that it is Ramadan, Christmas or any other festive occasion, if you put more energy (calories) into your body than it needs, it will store the extra as fat. And that is the reason people gain weight.
If you spend your day sitting at a computer, sleeping or laying around on the couch, eat a huge meal and spend the rest of your time watching television and “grazing” your way through the rest of the evening, it stands to reason that you will gain weight because your body naturally conserves energy during the fasting period. Our basal metabolic rate (BMR), the amount of energy we need to survive on a daily basis, slows down when we do not eat, as digestion consumes calories. So, the trick is to balance the amount of food you eat, with the amount of energy you put out. It’s not difficult. We all know when we can feel that extra roll appearing around the middle, or when the jeans are a little harder to do up. When that starts to happen, back off a little; cut back on the sweets and keep your meals light, remember little and often – little being the key here.
An easy way to keep the BMR boosted is to exercise. Now, that does not mean going on a mad run at 6 a.m., but it does mean doing things to keep you active. Yoga, pilates and stretch classes are a great way to exercise in the morning; the slow, meditative style can help you deal with the demands of fasting. Other ways to stay active are to take the stairs instead of the lift, even if it’s only a couple of floors, park the car a little further away from your destination or, as many people do, hit the track.
Sporting clubs and gyms start getting busy around 4 p.m. during Ramadan, with people trying to pass the last couple of hours and hoping that this year they will exercise not only their bodies, but also more self-control. For those people looking to burn fat, doing some sort of aerobic exercise (walking, riding a bike, using the elliptical machine) one to two hours before iftar can be very effective. However, care should be taken not to push too hard – for two reasons. The first is commonsense; over-do-it and you could end up feeling dizzy and nauseous, undoubtedly not encouraging you to exercise the following day. Secondly, keeping your heart rate in what is known as the “fat burning zone,” the point where you are working, but can still manage to say a few sentences, encourages the body to use fat as your energy source.
For those that like to go to the gym or attend classes that work on strength, then waiting an hour after finishing iftar will ensure you have enough energy to get the maximum out of your training session. Once you have finished, wait another 30 to 60 minutes and then eat another meal of protein and some vegetables or salad – not mixing protein with starches such as rice or pasta will make it easier to process the food and gain maximum benefit.
Overeating can do a great deal of damage; not only do you gain weight, but the fact is, it’s always a lot easier to put it on than it is to get it off. My advice is, as always, don’t overeat, take it easy on the sweets and stay active.
posted
interesting, also overeating before everyone goes to bed....this is such a bad idea, then wake at 3:00 a.m. to eat again and go back to sleep, jees....
Posts: 13440 | Registered: Feb 2006
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I dont eat that much either.... Just that hmmmmmmm... Im used to eat whatever I want without gaining weight... Without doing workout or sports... But I guess because Its not possible to walk that much here ur just stuck sitting around all day...
Anybody got any tip on what to do to keep fit in Egypt?
-------------------- Iraqi, ya3ny!!!!! Posts: 90 | From: Al Qahirah, Masr | Registered: Oct 2006
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eating like a heifer during ramadan is one thing that i constatnly have too get on my husband about...i mean, when it comes time to eat, he wants like a 5 course meal and eats so much.then he questions on why he gets fat. first off, you are breaking fast at the time of evening when you should have been done eating for the day. letting all that food sit in you during the night is a one way ticket to fat city. when i break fast, i eat slowly (even as hard as it is cause im so starfin') and i am full without having had to gorge. it takes 20 mintues for your stomach to tell your brain your full. also, one point of ramadan is for remembrace of those who are poor and arent fortunate enough too have enough to eat at all. i think it's a hypocrit who does this then gorges themself at night. do you think that the poor people get to eat like that after sunset? most often than not, they still don't get too eat anything. so when i see muslims acting like a bunch of raging pigs at a trough during break fast, i remind them of this and they slow down... at mosque the other day they had a huge meal for everyone and then they had pizza for the little kids who wont eat the things they made. well i took my 4 yr old for a slice and to my disgust, the pizza was swarmed by women who had like, 5 pieces of chicken with green beans galore piled on top and salad shoved on the plate as far as they could get it on without it spilling over then they grabbed 2 slices of pizza and piled it on top of the massive heap of food they already had, therefore leaving my hungry daughter with nothing to eat. i even asked them to spare a slice and they said no. im not one to fight over food, as i am not piggish, so i got my kid to eat some rice and a piece of baklava and i was so disgusted with this, i never went back.
Posts: 229 | From: philadelphia, pa, usa | Registered: Oct 2005
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trying to lose weight during ramadan is a crazy feat anyway. your body kicks into stravation mode when you are fasting and basically dehydrating yourself and holds onto any source of fat it can get. it will not burn the food properly that you eat at break fast and turns it into fat to sustain your body during this time so trying to lose weight is really just stupid. i dont think ramadan should be used for cosmetic purposes. the poor are out there starving and losing weight from it and those who want to lose weight from it are simply just mocking them.(unintentionally of course).
Posts: 229 | From: philadelphia, pa, usa | Registered: Oct 2005
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