Official Ramadan Thread: Muslim NTers enter

[icykicks79]

Originally Posted by viiheaven

Originally Posted by BlackMomo

Originally Posted by M16

Originally Posted by TheSwoosh

What age did you all start fasting. Me = 19

8

I also started fasting when i was 8. I went to muslim elementary school so it was a easier to fast when everyone at school is also fasting

ditto, 8.

damn 8 years old! i dont think its required to fast at that age. I think thats really young though. I started at 14

 

[wooly willy]

Originally Posted by icykicks79

Originally Posted by viiheaven

Originally Posted by BlackMomo

Originally Posted by M16

Originally Posted by TheSwoosh

What age did you all start fasting. Me = 19

8

I also started fasting when i was 8. I went to muslim elementary school so it was a easier to fast when everyone at school is also fasting

ditto, 8.

damn 8 years old! i dont think its required to fast at that age. I think thats really young though. I started at 14

yeah its not required but a lot of kids start early just to emulate their parents. its pretty good practice if you start off fasting half days while you'rea kid, get used to that and then move onto full days

 

[swoboydehteezy]

If my religion required me to fast, I'd renounce it.

 

[keepie uppie]

Originally Posted by Wooly Willy

yeah its not required but a lot of kids start early just to emulate their parents. its pretty good practice if you start off fasting half days while you're a kid, get used to that and then move onto full days

yup...
i started fasting for half a day when i was 8 years old...
was able to do the whole full day thing the year after...

 

[curious24]

hate having to wake up in the morning to eat...living with parents ftl

 

[jfmartimcdandruff]

i cannot do this

best of luck on your fasting.

 

[wooly willy]

Originally Posted by SWOBOYdeHTEEZY

If my religion required me to fast, I'd renounce it.

what does that say about your self discipline?

 

[swoboydehteezy]

Originally Posted by Wooly Willy

Originally Posted by SWOBOYdeHTEEZY

If my religion required me to fast, I'd renounce it.

what does that say about your self discipline?

I was waiting for that.

Rationalize fasting for me, please.

 

[onelifeloveking]

Originally Posted by Wooly Willy

Originally Posted by SWOBOYdeHTEEZY

If my religion required me to fast, I'd renounce it.

what does that say about your self discipline?

word. thats weak man.

anyways even if muslims wern't required to fast. most of us would simple as that. just how we are.

 

[tupac jordan]

I'm not Muslim but I found this:
Fasting makes us feel compassion and empathy towards the poor, because when the fasting person tastes the pain of hunger for a while, he remembers those whoare in this situation all the time, so he will hasten to do acts of kindness to them and show compassion towards them. So fasting is a means of feeling empathywith the poor.

 

[nationaltruckerdave]

Originally Posted by FlashEightZero

this is where you guys fast during the day right? i admire that type of spirituality, good luck

 

[three00zeex]

assalamu alaikum... congrats on 1 week of ramadan... i swear every year you think its gonna be sooooo long but come Eid, im always leftthinking where did those 30 days go?

"Hopefully a ticket to the garden that has rivers flowing beneath it." ---- great answer, inshaAllah

"Another interesting thing he said also was that being hungry defeats Shaitan because when your stomach is hungry, your other limbs are full and when yourstomach is full, your other limbs are hungry. This means that when you are hungry, you are concentrated on your hunger and don't have the patience to worryabout gossiping about other people or checking out this female or fornicating with that female. You never see those less fortunate than us that are constantlyhungry concerning themselves with trivial matters. When we eat, however, our mind is done worrying about our survival and other limbs like your eyes, tongue,private parts, etc want to have fun."

makes so much sense... its as if every part of your body are fasting in its own way.

to the non muslims on here who are interested in what this fasting is all about, try it for a day! wake up before sunrise and eat breakfast. dont eat, drink,have sex, smoke, and just stay away from any sinful acts until sunset. sit down, say a prayer and break your fast. trust me you will feel great.
if you guys are in college, i bet theres a Muslim Students Association that you could break your fast with and learn more about islam from. when i was incollege, every ramadan we would have a day where we would ask non muslims to fast with us and then we would provide food and break our fast together. it wasalways a big success mashaAllah.

and for the other muslims on here, i HIGHLY suggest trying to perform itikaf. thats where you live at the masjid for the last 10 days of ramadan(or as manydays as you can). its truly an amazing experience. im sure theres several masjids in your city that provide this service with food and everything taken careof. try to do it somewhere that has an imam/sheikh who will have speeches and programs throughout the 10 days.

anyways, only 3 weeks left guys. lets try to make the most of it! wsalam

 

[myjaysgetrocked]

Originally Posted by viiheaven

Originally Posted by BlackMomo

Originally Posted by M16

Originally Posted by TheSwoosh

What age did you all start fasting. Me = 19

8

I also started fasting when i was 8. I went to muslim elementary school so it was a easier to fast when everyone at school is also fasting

ditto, 8.

3rd grade, so I was either 7 or 8.

 

[wooly willy]

Originally Posted by SWOBOYdeHTEEZY

Originally Posted by Wooly Willy

Originally Posted by SWOBOYdeHTEEZY

If my religion required me to fast, I'd renounce it.

what does that say about your self discipline?

I was waiting for that.

Rationalize fasting for me, please.

Tupac Jordan hit the nail on the head.

Also to add to that, when you are fasting, you are forcing yourself to stay away from something lawful for you to do (eat, drink, intercourse with wife) fromsun up to sunset. Not only is eating and drinking lawful for Muslims but it is essential for life. The rationale behind this is that if you can stay away fromsomething lawful, good and essential for you then you can definitely stay away from those sinful things like alcohol, drugs, lying, cheating, adultery, etcthat you don't need to be doing in the first place.

Anyways, I just got back from taraweeh a little while ago and let me say taraweeh is definitely a good workout for Ramdan

. Every night I come home and feel exhausted like I just came back from playingball

 

[mo matik]

Bump

We're approaching the halfway point.

Alhamdulillah this Ramadan has been a great for me. I have been doing much better than I usually do. Inshallah I plan on carrying over these habits throughoutthe year. I hope it has been just as good for everyone else.

Also I encourage non-Muslim NTers to try fasting for one day. Among multiple health benefits, it is truly an enlightening experience.

 

[roc4life24]

wonderful experience

 

[mo matik]

This dude is Strahan's personal trainer.

The Ramadan Nutrition and Workout Plan for Success

By: Rehan Jalali, C.S.N.

www.rehanjalali.com

One of the most frequently asked questions I get is how can I workout and eat properly while I am fasting? Most people see the blessed month of Ramadhan as a time when they will surely lose strength and or muscle mass and some people think they can only "maintain" during this month. This cannot be further from the truth. In fact, if you use some of the strategies I am about to share with you, you can make some of your best gains during this month! It's all about maximizing nutrient uptake, maintaining proper hydration, and modifying key fat burning/muscle building hormones in your favor during this month. And of course PREPARATION-If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail! Plus, how can you truly maximize this month spiritually if your body is sick, tired, and your mind isn't sharp?

First of all, let's look at what happens to your body during Ramadhan. While you are fasting, obviously you become more dehydrated at rest-but actually less than if you had exercised aerobically for over an hour (so exercise causes greater dehydration for that time period versus fasting). Your main metabolic fuel source for bodily function during fasting is mainly fat, which is a good thing. So the goals during Ramadhan are to maximize metabolism (even though your metabolism will slow down due to less frequent meals), preserve and enhance as much lean muscle mass as possible (which will inherently increase metabolic rate and allow you to burn more calories at rest), and maximize your workout (both cardio and weight training). During Ramadhan, depending on your goals, I really recommend that you limit cardio to 2 days a week at the most. This is again to preserve as much lean muscle tissue as possible. There is actually research showing the health benefits of fasting. It is truly a physical purification. According to a study published in the reputable European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the researchers concluded that "no detrimental effects on health have as yet been directly attributed to negative water balance at the levels that may be produced in Ramadan." Other research has actually shown cardiovascular benefits of fasting during Ramadan-that is if you can avoid the IBS (no, not irritable bowel syndrome) but the dreaded Iftar Binging Syndrome! It is vital to eat moderate to small meals even after iftar.

Training Times

Ok, enough of the background, let's get to the meat of it! I am going to set the record straight here. The best time to do a weight training workout is NOT while fasting. This can create way too much muscle breakdown and cause a significant rise in the catabolic hormone cortisol. Training while in a state of dehydration can decrease strength significantly. In fact, research indicates that dehydrating a muscle by as little as 3% can cause a 12% loss in strength. Training while you are fasting can actually be more detrimental than beneficial! The best time to weight train during Ramadhan is after Taraweh prayers at night. This will insure that you will have several meals and plenty of water in your system before going to the gym. This will also allow you to consume your all-important post workout meal or shake which is essential to muscle growth and even fat loss. If this is too late then the next best time to weight train is about 1 hour after Iftar before taraweh prayer. You could do a short but intense 30 minute workout. The best time to do cardio work for maximum fat loss is before suhur-yep that's the truth. Of course, most people I know will not want to get up at around 3: 30 AM and do cardio! If you CAN pull this off then the best thing to do is get up and drink plenty of water with a cup of coffee or green tea, wait 30 minutes and perform 30-45 minutes of moderate intensity cardio work like a brisk walk on a treadmill. If this is out of the question for you, then the next best time to do cardio is approximately 30-45 minutes after a "light" iftar (I will define this shortly). Short, high intensity cardio like sprinting is actually great to do during Ramadan. It takes less than 10 minutes and provides maximum benefit in terms of fat burning and lean muscle preservation! This isn't "driving miss Daisy" cardio-its very intensive-Ex. Sprint for 20-30 sec at full speed (like a dog is chasing you!) and walk for 1 min. Do 4-5 cycles like that and you're good! Start slow of course and work your way up.

So now you know when to train, it's time to learn what to eat and drink (think water, water, and more water!).

Suhur meal (morning/pre-dawn)

For suhur, it is imperitive to drink plenty of water, eat a good blend of protein, carbohydrates, and essential fat-that's right "good fats" have many fat burning and muscle building properties and their importance is even greater during Ramadhan. Some good "suhur" foods include:

Egg whites (1 yolk)

Chicken breast

Oatmeal

Cream of wheat

Protein shake

Cinnamon

Bananas

Raw, Dark Honey

Raisins or dates

Fibrous vegetables -This will help increase the feeling of fullness as well.

All natural peanut butter

Flax seed oil - A great and tasty brand is Omega Swirl from Barleans (www.barleans.com)

Olive oil - preferably extra virgin (which means it's cold processed and the essential fatty acids are preserved)

Plenty of water

It is important to take a solid Multi-Vitamin/ multi-mineral supplement with suhur as well to make sure daily minimum requirements of key nutrients are met. One good one is Opti-Pack by Super Nutrition. Taking extra vitamin C and vitamin E can also be helpful. A great product is Emergen-C from Alacer. It is very important to watch your sodium intake at this time as high sodium can cause greater dehydration plus increase thirst during the day-not good for fasters. Avoid high sodium foods like soups, sauces, condiments, gravies, high sodium bread products, and canned meats. Of course eating fried foods and heavy oil items can cause heartburn and problems for you all day so it is best to avoid those if possible!

Iftar meal

This is a key time for rehydration. The wisdom in Islam is never ending. We break our fast with dates and water but if you investigate this nutritionally, you will see that dates are very unique in their nutrient content. They contain very high levels of potassium (much more than a banana), a key re-hydration mineral and a special carbohydrate blend that enhances hydration above and beyond water alone. They contain a special blend of glucose and fructose for short and long term energy. They also have a special nutrient called beta D-glucan which is a soluble fiber that can enhance satiety and digestive health. So basically when you eat a date and water for iftar your body gets hydrated again much faster than with water alone (this is a complex topic but I don't want to bore you with the details-You can think of dates and water as a very advanced form of Gatorade[emoji]174[/emoji]). In fact, clinical research published in the International Journal of Food Science and Nutrition entitled "The fruit of the date palm: its possible use as the best food for the future?" concluded that "dates may be considered as an almost ideal food, providing a wide range of essential nutrients and potential health benefits."

You should also eat some quality protein at iftar time as well. I recommend three dates and a meal replacement protein powder like ZI Diet MRP from VPX Sports, Lean Body by Labrada, or Myoplex from EAS. Of course, drink plenty of water-In fact, keep a water bottle with you at all times after sunset! Then 1- 1.5 hours later have a food meal (or follow the schedule above for cardio). Then during taraweh, depending if you pray 8 or 20 rakahs, have a protein bar or ready to drink protein shake in the middle (not while you are praying of course!) or have another small protein and complex carbohydrate meal after the 8 rakahs-drink plenty of water if you have a protein bar. Then go train about 30-45 minutes after eating the bar. After the workout, have another nutrition shake (as mentioned a few lines ago) with plenty of water. Eating small meals at night can trick your body into speeding up metabolic rate (not to mention increase nutrient absorption and stabilize insulin and blood sugar levels). Your body loves homeostasis and wants to maintain a certain balance-you literally have to shock it constantly to lose fat and gain muscle over the long run! There is so much wisdom in "Eat and drink but not to excess" and we should try and follow that especially during Ramadhan.

SAMPLE Ramadhan MEAL PLAN for fat loss and muscle gain

(*This plan is for a 170 lb male, please adjust amounts for bodyweight)

Suhur:

Eat 6-8 egg whites (one yolk)

One bowl of plain oatmeal w/ cinammon, raisins and a banana

1 teaspoon all-natural peanut butter or olive oil or flax seed oil (1 tablespoon Barleans Omega Swirl)

Plenty of water (16-24 oz.)

Opti-pack by Super Nutrition (one pack) -multi-vitamin/mineral

Iftar (the evening opening of the fast):

Three Dates and a Nutrition Shake (ZI Diet MRP from VPX Sports, Lean Body by Labrada, or Myoplex from EAS)

Plenty of water

For cardio wokouts -Do cardio 45 minutes after this meal for 30-45 minutes at a moderate pace or do a sprint workout if you have less time and then have the next meal before taraweh. (Have a cup of green tea or coffee with Iftar on cardio days)

For weight training days: Eat another food meal before Taraweh like chicken breast (or baked salmon), brown rice and some veggies OR

Baked Fish (Salmon, Tuna, Orange Roughy, or Mahi mahi), sweet potato, and a garden salad or some steamed vegetables.

Drink plenty of water during taraweh-Go to the gym after taraweh. (If you pray 20 rakahs, then have a protein bar in the middle of taraweh). Drink plenty of water during the workout and you can even have Accelerade or Powerade[emoji]8482[/emoji] or another sports drink during the workout.

After the workout, have another Nutrition Shake -lots of water of course. Then sleep 45 minutes later or stay up allnight eating and working like I do!

Following these simple workout and nutrition tips can really help you make great gains during this blessed month. May God help give us patience and strength in this month and throughout the year and make us strong mentally, internally, spiritually, and physically!

Top 5 healthy foods (especially important during Ramadan)

1. Dates - They contain a unique blend of glucose and fructose and have a very high potassium content (about 64% more than bananas). They have a nutrient called beta-D-glucan which is a soluble fiber that has health benefits and can increase the feeling of fullness.
2. Raw, Unfiltered Honey - It contains many phytochemicals and flavanoids that can enhance health. Honey is very good for increasing energy. It is an excellent source of antioxidants. In fact, ORAC tests show it has the highest level of antioxidants of virtually any natural food on earth! It even has anti-bacterial effects. Take 1-2 tablespoons daily.
3. Fish - Eating fish regularly can have positive effects on health. The fish oils EPA and DHA have been shown to improve brain function, enhance cardiovascular health, and reduce inflammation among other things. Some of the best fish are cold water wild salmon, orange roughy, deep sea Cod, sea bass, Ahi Tuna, Mahi mahi, and tilapia.
4. Figs - They contain key mineral such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium. They are also a great source of fiber and can support healthy blood sugar levels. Figs are an alkaline food which means they help balance the Ph of the body making it less acidic.
5. Olive Oil - Contains omega 9 or oleic fatty acids. It has been shown to increase the good cholesterol (HDL) while lowering bad cholesterol (LDL). It also seems to have some antioxidant effects. Look for extra virgin olive oil (cold-pressed). Cooking with it can lower some of its benefits. Add it to food after it is cooked!

*The content of this article is for information purposes only. Please consult a physician before starting any nutrition, training, or supplementation program.

 

[wooly willy]

Haven't been in this thread in a while, it's time to revive it

Thanks Mo Matik for that info. That's some useful info for those athletes out there. I planned to workout after taraweeh but it has become impossible forme. Between school, taraweeh and qiyam, I have almost no time for it.

Anyways, its the 2 week mark and we're only a few days away from the last third of Ramadan so its time to finish strong. Alhamdulilah, I've stuck to myplan that I wrote out for myself at the beginning of Ramadan and it has been surprisingly easier. Inshallah its been the same for all of you guys as well.

I also hope you guys are continuing to rack up on those good deeds during this month. Whether its a smile here and there or donating $10,000 to a good cause,your good deeds are multiplied up to mind boggling amounts. Also, make sure you make dua for all the Muslims in the word as often as possible. It's prettyhard out there for our brothers and sisters all around the world right now. I'll leave you guys with this hadith

Narrated 'Ubaadah that the Messenger of Allah said, "Whoever seeks forgiveness for the believing men andbelieving women, Allah will write for him a good deed for each believing man and believing woman." (Tabarrani, classed as hasan by Albani)

 

[hangtight]

Nothingbetter than Ramadan

 

[roc4life24]

about 4th quarter so to speak how yall holding up

 

[king beef]

Eid is always a blast and I get extra emotional for some reason when I see my family and friends celebrating.


Ramadan is sooooooooo easy. I don't think I have felt hungry or thirst once in the past 5 years.


Taraweeh on the other hand is gueling, but a refreshing experience.

 

[lalakerfan213]

Do you folks hate it when people eat in your face knowing you are fasting.

A friend blamed me for breaking his fast early.

 

[king beef]

Originally Posted by LALAKERFAN213

Do you folks hate it when people eat in your face knowing you are fasting.

A friend blamed me for breaking his fast early.

Nah I don't get mad. Most of my friends fast with me just becuase.

 

[wooly willy]

It's the last 10 nights and the most important nights. Remember to keep up the qiyam because Laylatul-Qadr is one of these nights. This night is betterthan a thousand months (that's 83 years and 4 months of straight worship

). Remember to say this du'a every night:

"Allahumma innaka 'afuwwun tuhibbul 'afwa fa'fu 'anni"

Don't sleep (literally) on these last few nights. The reward is endless inshallah

 

[sole vintage]

i wanna ask you guys a question is it true when you're fasting and get a cut you can break the fast for that day?