Last year I did the first 5 days of Ramadan as I had a couple of Muslim clients who were doing it and thought it would be good to experience it for a few days. It was one of the best nutritional experience I have been through. One year on it was with great excitement I did Ramadan again. This year was definitely the best nutrition experience I have been through. The rules are fairly simple, stop eating and drinking by 3.45 am and then eat no food nor drink water pass until 21.30 that night. An epic 17 hours and 45 minutes of fasting.

Coincidently I went  on BBC Wolrd News Sunday to discuss the effects of Ramadan and sports performance, this was due to the story about the Algerian team who were debating how to handle fasting and facing Germany in the last 16. A couple of pictures are below, the people working on the show were of course surprised a non Muslim was doing a few days of fasting.

bbc-world-8  bbc-world-15

This year I decided to ensure Ramadan was a little harder too, with an upcoming body building contest I used it as a great opportunity to lose fat. So I consumed my fat loss calorie intake (2000 calories compared to my normal 3100) and I upped movement to minimum of 20km a day (As recorded on my Fitbit wrist pedometer).

Despite the added challenges I found the process easier than last year. I also dieted last year but I moved much less. The hunger pangs are much less than you would think and even in general I would only feel hungry about once or twice a day. These feelings would only last a maximum of 20 minutes or so and then disappear away. They certainly were not strong or unbearable. I only felt thirsty once in the first three days. On day 5 last year and this year I allowed myself to have water to see what effect it had on hunger. In both cases it increased the hunger feelings, I assume this is from reducing blood sugar levels, e.g. 1 part sugar per 5 units water = 4/10 hunger, add water and it gives, 1 part sugar per 8 units water = 6/10 hunger.

The Main Benefit of Fasting

The main benefit of fasting and the reason I did Ramadan again this year is not for the fat loss benefits or anything that happens during the actual 5 days of fasting. The reason it is so beneficial is it completely changes the connection and relationship you have to  hunger, your favourite foods, eating and your daily routine. This is priceless, post fasting the voice in your head has changed. The “I need to eat something now” is replaced with “remember the time you waited 10 hours after feeling hungry during Ramadan”. You learn on a practical level what is a real hunger feeling and what is just made up.

It also dissolves your connections to certain locations and people. I was in the pub watching Brazil vs Chile, no drink, no food and of course it made no difference to the situation, I had a good time, my friends did….no big time drama ‘just because someone wasn’t eating or drinking (I discussed this last week in the newsletter). After such a phase, things are different and will not change back any time soon.

The Key To Fasting Benefits

To really use fasting to change your  mindset (as opposed to lose fat during the x days of fasting) you need to try to stick to your old routine. What most people do is create a new separate life during a fast or a diet, then return to their old ways post diet. The results are of course limited as nothing has changed. When you go back to the pub you will still drink, when you meet your best friend you will do your old behaviours. To really harness the power of fasting (or any diet) it is about still doing most of the same lifestyle but while adhering to the food/drink rules. If you give up drinking in January by not going out you are not any different mentally going forwards, when back out again you will most likely drink like you used. However, if you give up drinking and learnt how to be comfortable in a pub sober. You have changed the game.

Water and Ramadan

One of the best bits of Ramadan is the no drinking water, everyone gasps at horror at this thought but to me I believe it is one of the major benefits of it and why the experience was more powerful than the many other diets and detoxes that I have done. In keeping with not changing the routine element above people use Water to the same effect.

To ensure they have a full stomach feeling they swap food for water, shuffling in excessive amounts of liquid instead of food. While this is definitely great on a calorie intake front it will not teach you how to become comfortable with an empty stomach, it prevents you from learning and differentiating between what is a real hunger and what is normal feeling. Many people overeat because they have misread what fullness feels like. They interpret it as a full (bloatedness) in the stomach and not a contented satisfied feeling. The excessive water drinking therefore simply substitutes the food fullness feeling instead of teaching you the difference. Over hydration also makes you hungrier if it drops blood sugar as a result.

What You Can Do With This – 

The main points to take from this are  that you can easily do one of the many types of fasts available, if you use it as a tool to reorganise your connection to hunger/food then it is very powerful. If just for fat loss benefits then that is good but with a couple of adjustments you can really make a long term change as well as enjoying the fat reductions. Next fast/diet you do consider trying a day with greatly reduced water consumption and notice the difference.

Finally, Ramadan is going on for another 25 days, feel free to do it for yourself. If you are not Muslim then you can of course edit the hours you do to anything that suits you. Read more here about doing Ramadan>>

June 25 – July 2 (8/8 days measured)

This week has been all fat loss. Targeting 2000 calories a day with 20-21km of movement alongside it. Ramadan affected those numbers a little but pretty much I stayed bang on track. The body fat has dropped nicely to record lows, I am 7 weeks out from competing, so a very successful week of dieting….happy days!!!

Diet – Protein – 159g, Carbs – 251g, fat – 49g, calories – 2082, P:31  % C :48%  F: 21%

Exercise – 3 Weights sessions, 5 off days

Weight – Not taken                           Body fat – 30.5mm*      Activity Measure – 20.5 km / Day**

Supplements – Vitamin D , Multivitamin, ***

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*This is my own 10 point self measurement system, it does not correlate to body fat scores. At a guess 40mm – 8%, 50mm – 9.5%, 60mm – 11%, 70mm – 12.5%. I do not take it everyday if looking to gain muscle or maintain as it puts me off wanting to eat more. If on fat loss phase I take it daily. Like any body fat measurement system, as you get to low body fat levels the number become less accurate or reliable.

**Measured using Fit Bit Flex wrist band. Add me as a friend – Ben on fit-bit.com

*** Supplement not taken consistently

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Hyde Park – For Personal Training Hyde Park please  contact me. I am available for sessions in homes, private gyms or for Hyde Park Personal Training