The Super Duper Guide to Losing Fat and Maintaining Muscle in Ramadan

great advices since i’ve been looking for one lately …

Also check this good read too:

https://stronglifts.com/ramadan-weight-lifting-training-build-muscle-lose-fat/

thank you fahad for another Hardcore post :p this is going to be super hard man, how do you refuse people 60’000 times haha

*for the above post i ment futoor not s7oor
sorry bout that

Hey Fahad, thanks for the great post. As usual, it’s very informative.

I’ve just gotten back into the gym after a very lazy 1 1/2 years. Living a sedentary lifestyle, I’ve gained back a lot of the weight that it took me 1 1/2 years to lose. So now I’m back in the gym making cardio and fat loss (as well as rehabilitating my knee from a partial ACL tear) my priorities. In the future (after Ramadan) I intend on hitting the weights but fitness not bulk will be my long-term goal.

I’m 36, 6’1″, 95 kg, and probably over 20% bodyfat. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Fahed, I want you to go through this i found on the internet

https://www.suhaibwebb.com/blog/general/the-protein-sheikh-is-back-the-ramadan-nutrition-and-workout-plan-for-success-part-two-by-rehan-jalali-csn/

please give us you review 😀

Hi Fahad. Thanks again for such a great post. I’d also like to thank you because i’ve managed to drop from 93kg and 18%fat to 86kg and 16% fat by following your advice. Could have gone further but I sort of went of the path a couple of times:)

I’d like ask about the first plan that you outlined. Can I fit some swimming and some very light weight lifting in that plan. I usually do what you suggested regarding the cardio. 1-2 hours before futoor and I’d go swimming 2 hours after breaking my fast. I do keep my self hydrated all the time. Don’t really eat any sweets and I stick to my salads and skinless/boneless chicken breast and dates/liban.
Again. thanks a lot for your help and for another great post.

Wish you the best and Ramadan Mobarak to you and your loved ones.

Thanks on such important information that can be used to our advantage in a time as morally blissful as Ramadan. I ave a few questioning regarding your post:

1. Can I work out during or before or after suhur at 2:00 am or 3:00 am or does that time affect my fat burning capabilities.

2. What kind of Arabic sweets are there that are the least damaging?

3. Are areobic exercises a good or bad thing to do 2 hours before futoor?

Again thanks a lot for the post I really love your advice you truly are a life saver!

Awsome !

Hi Fahad,
Thanks for the post. If you remember me, I was between 116-118 and i’m now 105, i’m strictly following the diet plan you gave me and cheating every week 1 time. my sugar and blood pressure are alhamdulillah very normal. but still I have the belly but smaller than before but very annoying, I think I reached my limit in diet, so 1 week before I joined gym and doing the following:
1. tread mill – 20 minutes,
2. lying down abdominal exercise – 5 minutes.
3. cycling with elevated seat to focus on abdomen – 5 minutes.
4. elliptical trainer – 2-3 minutes
5. exercise with rod – 5 minutes
6. shoulder press – 2 ways – 3 sets
7. some exercise while you are sitting and you have to catch the bar on the top and bring it towards your chest – 3 sets and bringing towards back – 3 sets.
8. treadmill again – 10 minutes
i’m going to gym at around 6pm and working out at least 90 minutes or more.
I’m sweating hell. After that I have my dinner after half hour, i.e., 1 sheesh touk, sometimes I’m skipping that and taking 1 apple and low-fat leban.

i don’t want to be a muscle monster, my aim is to just get rid of the fat especially from the belly fat, tiny man boobs and tiny love handles and i have a huge back, i don’t know if it’s fat or muscle and thighs are slightly big.

diet is working but has become slow, the problem is that I’m not feeling hungry except in the mornings. sometimes, i’m cutting the diet my half, following the 6 meals but taking 50% only.

advice me what I have to eat in ramadan with maximum fat loss focussing on my target points (belly, boobs, love handles and bit of thighs)

Is it ok to do gym before breaking fast, will I not faint?

Again, thanks for your wonderful efforts.

Thank you very much for this information it is very helpful to know and understand the different options, and the right way to exercise during ramadan.

Nice article. I play football and squash and still weight 80kg (recommended 65kg), plan to reduce 5kg this Ramadhan Inshallah.

Seeker,
How did you build your current muscle mass? If you transition from weight-lifting to performing plyometrics (bodyweight training) then you will lose size since you’re not pushing the heavy poundages.
Ramadan won’t effect your strength levels at all so you don’t have to worry about that.
Swimming before futoor is a cardiovascular activity so you’re good to go. You’ll also feel super refreshed.
__________

Zaydoun,
I’ll print you a copy at the gym if you want.
__________

Haitham,
Thanks for the introduction :).
I’ll need to know your daily routine, favorite/worst foods, workout timings and anything that would make my life easier when setting up your plan.
Awaiting your kind reply.

Hello Fahad
Am female – 153 sm weight 66 kg > 6 months after baby birth

My ultimate goal is to loose 12 kilos – baby weight until my states trip beginning of October
I have started dieting this week, low calories low carp diet and am doing 30 minutes on the Elliptical 3 to 4 times a week.

Ramadan is a problem to me because I tend to crave rice and LGEIMAT everyday since the yummy goodies make constant appearance in our Fotour table. Plus of course the fried melted cheese samboosa which I barely I can resist. What do you think the reasonable intake of these little devils per week? Keeping in mind that my intention to cut bread completly in Ramadan.

1- Rice “ Machboos .. etc” is 7 spoons of rice+ EDAM 2 days a week during Ramadan will be acceptable?

2- I don’t think I can do my elliptical exercise 1 hours before fotor since it generates great amount of sweat that makes me so thirsty, will walking be a good substitute?

My plan is to walk 45 minutes before fotor and do 30 minutes elliptical 3 hours after fotor .. whatchya think?

I hate, so much, what you chose to do.

Fahed,
yeah i think i should have the shake right before workout…thnx for your guide Fahed
My BMI is 17.7 (slightly underweight)…height 5’8″, weight 53 kgs, and i avoid outings as much as possible..cuz Hardees employees dont understand whats low-fat cheese 😛
and ill be working out after taraweh
My goal…get lean muscle…and atleast get to 70 kgs by December end (no hurry)

Fahed, If you can find some time..ill be sending you the (new)workouts ill be doing via e-mail…those are 1.Explosive Strength Workout and 2.Endurance Workout

Fahad, thanks for being so open to helping us all. It’s a great idea to do all of this in the bulletin board so we can learn from all the comments/advice that’s made.

Currently I’m working out in the evenings, around 6 to 8. I’m trying to eat 5 times a day, lots of vegetables and chicken. My workouts are focused on the following: flexibility (15 min stretching or a Body Balance class), leg rehabilitation for the partial ACL tear for 25 min, cardio on cross trainer for 30-45 min, and 15 min abs every other day. I’m working out 4 of 5 days. I also try to get in some swimming, time permitting. My biggest priority right now is the weight loss of 15 kgs and strengthening my legs because although I did have some good upper body strength in the past, my legs were never sufficiently strong to take pressure off my knees when climbing stairs or trying to hike.

As far as healthy foods, I love chicken and fish, all tomato based dishes, vegetables (except a few like asparagus, artichoke, beets). I do have to fight my sweet tooth, especially cookies. I don’t like laban except for the Activia laban, that’s good stuff.

By the way, I just started using my heart rate monitor yesterday after a few years not using it. Found that my intensity was too high (heart rate at 80%) to be in the fat-loss zone so I slowed down to bring it in at 75%. Do you suggest alternating workouts: one day an hour at 70-75%, next day half hour at 80%?

Thanks a lot, Fahad! Keep up the good work.

The problem with my cheat days is that they always tend to last for seven times as long as normal days. 😛

Anonymous,
I remember you dude, no need to remind me everytime 😛
I stopped at your comment because I had to go do something urgent and I didn’t want to rush my reply to your inquiry.

Masha’Allah! 118-105! Great accomplishment! Good for you!

Let’s work on your Ramadan plan and then we’ll switch it up a week before Ramadan. The slow fat-loss you are witnessing now is due to the minimal fat storage that you have. Your body’s digging into stubborn fat stores which will take time. Target for 500g-1kg of fat loss per week.

Your Ramadan Plan:

2 Hours prior to breaking your fast:
-High Intensity Interval Training on the treadmill for 20 minutes
2 minutes on speed 5.0, 1 minute on speed 5.0, repeat
– Abdomen Crunches – 3 sets of 20 reps
-Recumbent bicycle – 20 minutes on resistance level 5
– Sit ups – 3 sets of 20 reps
– Elliptical Trainer – 20 minutes on resistance level 5
Keep this at a steady fast pace.

Futoor:
3 dates + 250ml of low-fat Laban

3 Hours Later:
1 plate of Shish Tawook or 6oz of grilled fish
Green Salad w/ lemon, vinegar & salt

3 Hours Later: Light Snack
1 Fruit

Suhoor:
250ml of Skimmed Laban

– Don’t forget to drink 1 liter of water in between each meal (start consumption 15 minutes after completion of meal/snack)
– Your workouts will be harder, but you will not faint.

Don’t hesitate to ask me more questions brother 🙂
______________

hamad,
Thank you for reading. The pleasure was all mine 🙂
______________

Rasahi,
Thanks 🙂
Losing 5kg in Ramadan will be a breeze ensha’Allah.
What does your regimen look like?
______________

Ali from Bahrain,
It’s great to be back Ali! I’m more than happy to share my knowledge and experiences with all of you 🙂

Your stats show me that you’re ideal, but I’d rather have you go down to 10% bodyfat

Dates are highly nutritious, but can cause major damage when consumed in large numbers since their packed with moderate/high amounts of simple sugars. Let’s face it, dates are properly enjoyed after consuming at least 10 pieces.

Limit your consumption to 3 dates per snack OR before and after an activity.
In accordance to the link nahin123 posted, the author clearly details how dates can benefit any athlete at any given time:

“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.”

You may pop in 3 dates before performing vigorous cardiovascular activities and 3 dates after. Moreover, you may also consume 3 dates prior to your weight-lifting sessions and immediately after.

If you’re focusing more on fat-loss and cardiovascular endurance, challenge yourself by running and cycling for 60 minutes 1 hour before futoor and another 60 minute sessions 3 hours after futoor.

You might run the risk of losing some muscle mass while running before futoor, but your fat stores and cardiovascular endurance levels will thank you.

Don’t hesitate to chip away and criticize 🙂

THanks fahad for your advice.
I think i cannot take the light snack 3 hours because i will be asleep maximum by 11pm.
can i take it earlier or in suhoor, pls. let me know.
shall i do suhoor before half hour of imsaak time? if imsaak is at 3:37am, shall i take laban at 3:00am and 1 litre water after 15 minutes?
can we increase the target of fat loss? i need to get down to 75-80kg by end of september. hope it’s possible.

yeaa yeaa blame obesity in kwt on hardees!

HEYY Fahad

I start my day with breakfast at around 8. Breakfast normally consists of tea with milk and omelet with a slice or two of brown bread. Then off to work.

For lunch, I generally have home cooked Indian food which would be less 1/2 cup vegetables (thrice a week), lentils(twice a week), chicken (once a week) or red meat (once a week) with rice or khabus. I do tend to skip lunch quiet a few times and sometimes grab a shawarma.

Dinner is actually the problem area I guess. I don’t eat much for lunch so I do tend to eat more for dinner. The food is more or less same.

I used to do low intensity cardio but haven’t been able to keep up since 5 months. After finishing work at 6, I head to university studies and am back at home by 9. Too exhausted to work out. And I have put on 5 KG!!

I love cheese, a good cookie, chocolate and salads. I prefer eating out once a week which could range from pizza, burger and more junk.

So I need to be back to my normal self till the end of ramadan. HELP HELP HELP

ItSme,
Hey! You haven’t provided me exact timings, so I’ll have to work based on assumption (correct me if I’m wrong):
Here’s your proposed diet plan:

Upon Waking: 250ml of water

Breakfast: 0-15 minutes Later
2 egg omelet w/ 1 glass of fresh orange juice
(no brown bread)
+ plain tea (no milk or sugar)

Sip on 500ml of water in between

11:30 – Snack
1 dessert or 1 red/green apple
1 cup of green tea

Sip on 500ml of water in between

3:00 – Lunch
Your current lunch is good as long as you skip the rice and bread (PLEASE skip the rice and bread). Increase your veggie consumption as much as you can, and try to have it on a daily basis. Potatoes are NOT OK.

Sip on 500ml of water in between

6:00 – Snack
1 dessert or 1 red/green apple
1 cup of green tea

Sip on 500ml of water in between

9:00 – Low-intensity cardio for 30-60 minutes
3-4 times a week. Sip on 500ml of water

Dinner: 10:00
Gain the advantage of rapid fat-loss by skipping this meal OR
– Repeat lunch.

Kindly give me your feedback for the above so that I modify accordingly. 🙂
__________

nahin123,
You’ve got an awesome meal plan! I’ll just tweak it if you don’t mind:

jogging for 25 mins before suhur

Suhur:- (minor changes here)
3 whole eggs
Protein Shake (1 scoop, 1/2 cup Oatmeal,1 Banana)
One tablet Multi-Vitamin

Futoor:- (6:45)
5 Dates
3-4 oz Meat or Chicken or Salmon
1-cup of Brown or White Rice
Vegetables

After Traweh (9:30)
Protein Shake (Water and 1scoop)
1 Banana

30 minutes later later :- Hit the Gym (10:00)

Post-Workout(Immediately) 11:00
2 scoops

45 Minutes Later:
6-7oz of grilled chicken breast OR 8oz of Lean Red Meat OR 6-7oz of grilled fish or salmon
2 cups of brown rice
Veggies

Tell me what you think 🙂

I forgot to ask something much more inportant??? I read somewhere that after 3-4 weeks on Protein Shakes you need to take rest from them too…that was really confusing…how long are we supposed to be away with it for a while…Please Help

HOLY SMOKES !!
I just found an article in response to the link you just posted 😀

https://blogs.muscleandfitness.com/jim_stoppani/

Hi Fahad. I was wondering if you can take a look at the below routine and give me your opinion. As always, I took some information from your post used it in the below routine. Thanks.

Futoor:

Alternate between option a and option c in your fat loss program

Two hours later:

Green Tea and an apple or pear

30 minutes later:

40 minutes high intensity swimming followed by 20 minutes of easy swimming

Post Swim Meal:

Big serving of Chicken Breast Salad

2 Hours later:

Green tea followed by a 40 minute weight training session and 45mins-1 hour of cardio (mostly running)

Right after (also counts as Suhoor):

300g of lean red meat (filet mignon, tenderloin) plus a side order of green veggies.

I normally drink 6 liters of water a day. I’ll be sure to stick to that during Ramadan.

Also, seeing how my shift at work will start at 3pm, I’ll have a lot of time sleep and recovery.

Thanks again

Fahad,

Thank you so much. Timing is same as you stated. But I do have lunch a bit earlier by around 2.00.

So basically you mean no carbs? No bread, no rice…that will be difficult but I’m up for it.

As you mentioned Dessert which makes me jump, can you narrow down to what is the portion. Say for example cookies, or icecream?

I will skip dinner I guess. But if I can’t can I opt to eat a fruit ?

And where you have mentioned red/green apple, what are the other fruits i can switch with it, I’m sure I’ll get bored of same fruit everyday ?

Option3, allah yir7am ayyam ilsavagery..;p
thank you so very much I’ll be working on Option1, and I’ll absolutely let you and everyone else know when I achieve my goal. As I get closer it gets harder than ever. 🙁
Thanks,

MX5,
Tell me if you’re fine with the modifications I’ve made below:

Futoor:
Alternate between option a and option c in your fat loss program

2 hours later:
ONLY Green Tea

30 minutes Later:
40 minutes high intensity swimming followed by 20 minutes of easy swimming

Post Swim Meal:
6-7oz of Grilled Chicken Breast + 1-cup of white or brown rice (plain) Green Salad (lemon and vinegar for dressing)

2 Hours later:
Green tea followed by a 40 minute weight training session and 45mins-1 hour of cardio (mostly running)

Right after (also counts as Suhoor):
300g of lean red meat (filet mignon, tenderloin) plus a side order of green veggies.

Give me your feedback and don’t forget to update me on results 🙂
____________

nahin123,
Thanks for your inspiring words 🙂
100% Whey is great! Switch to Pro-Complex if you can budget it in your routine. It’s a lot tastier and contains better filtration of whey protein.
____________

ItSme,
Pleasure’s all mine 🙂

1) 2:00pm lunch is more than OK, and yes.
2) Your routine is actually low complex/starchy carbs and high in other sources such as vegetables and fruit.
3) Dessert Limitations:
-Cookies: Small (3), Medium (2), Large (1)
-Ice cream: 1 scoop with no toppings
-Cake: 1 Moderately thin slice
-Chocolate Bar: 1 piece

3) Yes, you may opt for 1 fruit at dinner.
Fruit List:
-1 Apple
-1 Orange
-2 pieces of Kiwi
-4 slices of fresh pineapple
-1 cup of any berry

Again, your feedback is highly appreciated.
____________

expatandthecity,
Hey!
If you want something fast and efficient, then join Curves. You’re in and out before you even know it. 🙂
____________

Manayer,
LOL YES! Option 3 is my actual cheat day in Ramadan 😀
You do need to update me in regards to your progress so that I can help you before you decide to quit and do some damage (i.e. splurge and binge on junk food).

The harder it gets the BETTER! Your body hates digging through stubborn fast stores, and it’ll challenge you both mentally and physically so that you may go back to eating whatever your heart desires.

Stick to your plan, get your weekly cheat meal (after 14 weeks of strict dieting) and EXERCISE!
____________

Chubby-Doll,
Thanks!
Tashreeba isn’t a cheat. You may have it everyday as long as you cut out harees, yireesh and rice. Limit your date consumption to 3 pieces, and don’t go above 1-cup serving of tashreeba to reap the fat-loss benefits.

Thanks Fahad, The changes above are great. I’ll be sure to follow them closely and update you. Thanks again

Hello

Wow…this is so exiting and definitely needed…THANKS!!

Ok, Im female and 5 feet 11 inches tall. I weigh like 96 kg. I have lost 5 kg over the summer. But now I cannot get below 96 kg. No idea what my fat percentage is.

My biggest problem is time, especially in Ramadan. I work full time and have kids. The only time I can work out is after Iftar.

I work out 3- 4 times a week. Would like to do more but it is difficult.

I have a treadmill, stationary bike, mini trampoline, step machine and like 20 cardio dvd’s. I prefer the ones by Jillian Michael’s totally kicks my butt.

So do machines or dvd’s get the most results? Plus any other advice you have for me. I’ve been watching my diet for 6 months now. Have not had a drop of soda and barely drink juice. Lots of water and Crystal Light. And no white bread..I only eat wheat pita bread or toast. And only one piece per meal.

I do eat basmati rice which is a whole grain and a good choice or not? Brown rice is some thing I just cannot chew or swallow.

If you can give me some sort of mini workout schedule I will post results at the end of Ramadan

————

And for any other would be fasters this Ramadan with skinny family members that can eat what they want without gaining weight, these are my two top tips!

1. Buy a slow cooker. One is like 14 KD at City Center. While I cook semi-calorie laden foods for my family, my food simmers all day up until Iftar. My fave is to toss 4 cups of diced tomatoes. 2 garlic cloves, 4 pounded and cubed chicken breasts and 1/2 cup water into the slow cooker. I cook on High for 3 hours and turn it to low 1 hour prior to Iftar. Served over wheat pasta or rice. Yum. This will last for two maybe 3 Iftar meals

2. Broccoli – I buy maybe 6 frozen bags and store in the freezer. Steam 1/2 bag of boccoli in a pan with a steamer and 2 inches of water. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan, fry one clove crushed garlic until tender. Add maybe 1 tablespoon low sodium terriyaki sauce. Toss in the broccoli and heat on low until all the liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with black pepper. Yum and very filling!

Wow— just saw a slow cooker recipe pahe on Yahoo. See:

https://green.yahoo.com/blog/guest_bloggers/54/10-summer-slow-cooker-recipes.html

Hi fahad, i need ur help . . I weigh 85 kg and im about 5″7 my goal is to lose ten kgs, but cant find a way to start! Saaaave me for you are the saviour. Can u pls give me a plan that will work.

Zoarob,
Glad you enjoyed reading it 🙂 Thank you!
I’ll be glad to customize a plan for you once you provide me with more details, including:
1) What do you prefer to eat at futoor, dessert, suhoor, etc?
2) What kind of physical activity do you participate in? Weight-lifting? Sports? Jogging?
3) How old are you?
4) What are your current problem areas? Is it all in your midsection?
5) Do you prefer working out before or after futoor?
6) What are your Ramadan timings? Do you work? Study?

My apologies for replying to your inquiry so late, but I’ll make sure you’ll get a more rapid reply once you answer the questions above. The more accurate and detailed you can get the better. I’m trying to provide you with a new and optimal lifestyle and not just a diet plan 🙂
__________

Fj,
I’m enjoying this, and it’s great practice ;D Keeps my mind fresh! I’m actually learning a lot from these inquiries.

Ex-Cruncher,
Hi! You’re most welcome, and thank you for taking the time to read my post 🙂

Here goes:
1 hour prior to futoor:
30-60 minutes of low-intensity walking (treadmill or outside)
I’m not sure if you’ll do this, but it’ll help out A LOT!

Futoor: Pick a fat-loss option above, preferably options 1 or 2 (I’m assuming you lift weights)

Before heading to taraweeh: 1 teabag of Green Tea

9:30 – 9:45:- Pre Workout
1 Red or Green Apple + Plain Black Tea (eat a moderately sized dessert [i.e. 2-3 qatayef] w/ green tea on your off days to satisfy cravings, )

12:30 – Dinner
Pick from either Option 1 or 2 in the fat-loss section above

3:30 – Suhoor
1) Medium bowl of lentil soup (no brea)
OR
2) 250ml of Skimmed Liban w/ 1 date

I urge you not to neglect water consumption! Get in 1 liter in between meals. Bring a bottle of water with you and sip in between prayers.

Please review and provide me with your feedback 🙂

Boja,
Hey Boja! I wouldn’t call myself a saviour, but thank you nonetheless 😀
I need more info!
1) Age
2) Daily Routine
3) Daily dieting or Ramadan Dieting?
4) Physical activity preferance
________

Hira,
Wa’alaikum Al Salam brother!
Your kind words truly inspire me and I thank you.:)
Things I need to know:
1) Age
2) Physical activity preferance (what sort of gym work?)
3) Why can’t you hit the gym after futoor?
4) What are your favorite sources of futoor carbs?

I wouldn’t recommend carbs at suhoor. You’re better off sticking to some protein, some fat and fibrous veggies. A great example would be lean red meat w/ green vegetables on the side. It’ll satiate you and keep your metabolism burning for hours on end.

Provide me with the details above and ensha’Allah I’ll do my best to set something up for you as soon as I can 🙂

Fahad, Last quick question (or so I think =)) How do I make ther harees you mentioned in the diet above ? Am asking for your version of it as firstly I dotn know how to make it and secindly I might end up making a full fat version of it !

Thanks a lot for the reply, Fahad!

This Ramadan, my whole diet will be changed, because I’ll be on holiday and will spend it back in Qatar with my family as I study abroad. Normally, I would eat simple things I cook. But this Ramadan will be full of my mother’s food of course. Which is a little intimidating.

So yeah, for futoor, there will be your ordinary arab food filled with poisonous duhoon & shuhoom. I don’t really expect a pattern, as cooking is considered an art in our household & it’s always a variety. There will be lots of 3azayem, too. That means all kinds of typical hazardous arabic food.

I’m not really big on sweets & sugar, except for things usually served in Ramadan only, like Qatayef, Sh3ebiyat, etc… Not healthy I know, but I can pretty much keep it at a minimum.

For Suhoor, I usually have something very light, if at all. Yes, very often I actually skip it. I can not eat for long periods, but the problem is, when I do eat, I eat a lot.

My activities are around 1 – 2 hours a day, mostly cardio and some weight lifting. However, I’m considering postponing all the weight lifting till after Ramadan, and switching to jogging at the corniche instead of treadmills. Not sure if that’s a sound idea. Also play some Basketball, usually once a week.

I’m 21 years old.

Yes, my biggest problem is the mid-section. I’m trying hard to lose all the fat in the stomach area. Otherwise, I’m pretty satisfied.

Definitely prefer working out before futoor.

As I said, currently on vacation & will be free the whole Ramadan.

I really appreciate the awesome work your doing here. It’s very insightful to read & interact with. So thanks for that & keep it up.

Hey Fahad !
If you don’t remember me I am the guy who was doing the Insanity workout (this one https://tinyurl.com/2d58bjo )and I still have High Blood Pressure. I am almost done with month 1 of this workout and wow this workout really kicks ass but gives amazing results.
The problem is that it gets tougher in month 2 in the workout and that’s also when ramadan starts.
Workouts will be 1 hour of really high intensity cardio instead of the 40 minutes cardio in month 1.
I also take GNC Whey protein post workout so I dont lose any muscle.
My goal is to lose fat (get ripped) and gain muscle. I am 17 years old my height is 175 cm Weight is 72 KG and my body percentage fat is 23%.
Now can I do the Insanity workout before Iftaar by 1 hour then break my fast with the whey protein shake after the workout ? and then start weight lifting using dumbells at home after futoor by like 3 hours then drink another whey protein shake ? will this help me reach my goal ?

Hey Fahad !
If you don’t remember me am the guy who’s doing the Insanity Workout (this one https://tinyurl.com/qomoa6 )
Am almost done with month 1 of this workout and oh man this workout is KICK-ASS but does give amazing results.
The problem is the workout starts getting tougher in month 2 and also ramadan starts.My goal is to lose fat (get ripped) and gain muscle. Am worried bout doin this workout while fasting cause as I said in month 2 the cardio is really high intensity so am worried that I may end up losing my muscles.
I am 17 years old, Height is 175cm, Weight is 72 Kg and Body fat percentage is 23% .
So if I do the workout before Iftaar by an hour than I break my fast with a GNC whey protein shake then after 3-5 hours of Iftaar I start weight lifting with dumbells at home then another whey protein shake after that .. will that help me reach my goal ?

Anony,
You can skip the light snack or replace it with dinner if you prefer.
I wouldn’t recommend it if you replace it with the suhoor since you need something moderately heavy in your stomach to get you through fasting.

It would be preferable if you eat suhoor 30-15 minutes before imsaak, the reason being is that you can take your time chewing/drinking properly to avoid any indigestion, and getting in a few glasses of water. As opposed to rushing your meal because you have a few minutes.

Yes, it is highly possible. The diet plan will help you, but you need to increase your cardiovascular activities to get down to that weight within September.

I highly recommend that you put in 60 minutes a day of intense cardio. If you can’t seem to control your cravings at futoor then add in an extra 30 minutes.

Yes, more cardio sucks but it will get the job done 🙂

Stoned Immaculate,
Feel free to ask as many questions as you want! 🙂
Harees is essentially crushed wheat. Some would add in a small portion of red meat to the mix (we do). Not a lot of oil is used when preparing harees, unless your family adds some butter/ghee on the top layer.

Just make sure you don’t add any butter/ghee on the top layer, and limit your cinnamon sugar intake to 1 tablespoon. Stick to a maximum of 1-cup of harees.

Again, don’t shy away from asking questions 🙂

Zoarob,
Thank you for providing me with details!
To all: please use Zoarob’s format as a benchmark. The more info you provide me the more detailed I can get.

1-2 hours prior to futoor:
60 minutes of basketball or High Intensity Interval Training on the treadmill. (I gave a few examples above).

Futoor:
Since your mother’s most probably going to be switching it up every day, here’s a list of foods and their desired quantities:
Pick One: Carbs
-Harees: 1 cup with 1 tbsp darseen
-Yireesh: 1 cup
-Tashreeb: 1 heaped serving spoon
-Rice: 1 cup, any type of rice
Pick One: Protein
-Chicken: skinless breast or thigh, 1 piece
-Red meat: the size of your palm closed
-Fish: the size of your palm closed
Addition:
-Green Salad w/ light dressing

2 Hours Later:
Green Tea

30 minutes Later:
Weight-Lifting for 30-60 minutes
An extra session of 30-45 minutes of cardio is desirable

0-30 Minutes After Weight-training:
4 pieces of small-sized sweets + 1 teabag of green tea
(Qatayef, sab el gafsha, dates, etc)
OR
1 slice of cake or Kanafa (the size of your palm closed. Keep the slice thin) + Green Tea

3-4 Hours Later: Dinner (you may skip this if you’re not feeling hungry)
Large bowl of green salad plus a moderate amount of lean chicken, red meat or fish

3-4 Hour Later: Suhoor
250ml of skimmed liban + 1 date

Please don’t forget to drink 1 liter of water in between meals and snacks!
Try not to skip suhoor.
You may switch suhoor with dinner if you’ll be skipping dinner.

Lastly, thank you for your kind words 🙂 Your trust and inquiries truly inspire me 🙂

Mashallah, 84 comments and counting!! Its a great post that i keep reading every other day, i just wish there is a better way of organizing the questions and answers so its easier for us to benefit from it.

A quick question Fahad about supplements:
Based on friends’ recommendations, my daily diet now includes 2 to 3 scoops of Dymatize Whey Protein (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dymatize-Nutrition-Elite-Protein-Chocolate/dp/B0014NWKP0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=drugstore&qid=1280755278&sr=1-1) and one capsule of Multibionta Activate Multivitamin (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Seas-Multibionta-Activate-Probiotic/dp/B0013G8NCW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=drugstore&qid=1280726665&sr=8-2).

My question is, will the above have side effects on my body? Any better recommendations? (whey protein taste is a big factor for me)

Thanks a million in advance.

Hira,
LOL Sorry about that, but I’ve never heard of that name. I thought you were a Japanese dude 😛 My sincerest apologies! I hope you were not offended.
Here we go:

2 Hours prior to futoor:
Turbo kick, Zumba (I prefer you do this) or 60 minutes of cardio.

Futoor:
1 glass of water + 1 fruit (1 apple OR 1 banana OR 1-cup of berries OR 1 pear, peach or mango, etc) + 1 more glass of water
Go pray
1 lean meat (grilled chicken breast OR 3 slices of Turkey breast OR Grilled Fish) + Green Veggies

Sip on 1 liter of water in between

3 hours later: Snack
1 moderately sized dessert (below 200 calories)
1 Green Tea or 1 cup of Arabic Coffee

Sip on 1 liter of water in between

3 hours later: Dinner
2 whole eggs (cooked in anyway you like) + veggies (greens, tomatoes, onion, etc). Eat this with a spoon. No CARBS!

Sip on 1 liter of water in between

Suhoor:
Moderate bowl of Vegetable or Lentil Soup

Review and tell me what you think 🙂
Again, my sincerest apologies for assuming you were a guy!

Hey Fahad,

Nice article!

Stats
Height: 6’2
Weight: 89.3kg
BF%: 24.6%

Problem: too much bodyfat around midsection and my shoulders are not as broad as i want them to be.

Ramadan lifestyle:
Work at a desktop job from 9am to 3pm.
GYM (weights): 9:40pm on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday.

Foods i eat: Minced chicken, grilled beef patties (e.g double whopper without the bread from burger king), fat free labneh with brown bread, pasta, brown rice, chicken curry, protein shakes, tuna sandwich, grilled chicken sandwich, chicken biryani, omlettes etc. Can survive without sweets.

RAMADAN GOAL: Gain 1kg of muscle and burn 2kg of fat. Very keen on achieving BOTH goals.

Thanks for the whole layout!
I tried no-carb diet for a while but then people said its dangerous i shoud eat carbs.. i am always confused about that. maybe i should take psylium husk if you think thats ok? Also can I use olive oil for making omelets? I like to use spices in chicken like red chillis and also soya sauce. Can i use like 50 calorie cheese slice with the dinner?

Everything else sounds great 🙂 i will try my best to do exactly this inshaAllah..btw japenese dude..haha… HIRA it is suppose to be from CAVE hira where prophet Muhammad pbuh used to pray and where Quran came down to him.. to this day not sure what it means..

Thanks again 🙂

Tinkerbell,
Wa’Alaikum Al Salam 🙂
I’m glad your enthusiasm in a healthy lifestyle is very positive!

1) Your ideal weight should be between 70-75kg.
2) It can be done in 1-6 months depending how much hard work you are willing to put in.
3) Its above in the post itself! Goal #1: Fat Loss
4) Nope. The faster you lose the fat/weight, the better chance of you keeping it off and maintaining it.

The pleasure’s all mine 🙂

Anonymous,
You are most welcome 🙂
250ml of skimmed laban will help satisfy your stomach and provide much needed nutrients to help you with burning that burden of sin you call your midsection.

Hadeed means metal or iron, and by that we mean “pumping iron”, which in turn means “weight-lifting”.
To explain this so called myth, weight-lifting actually burns more calories in the long run than anything else, as opposed to cardiovascular activities which stop as soon as you stop. Moreover, muscles need nutrients for growth, thus sucking in all the necessary nutrients and starving off the fat. More nutrients for growth, less nutrients to be stored as fat, which translates into a metabolic boost.

In order for you to be a so-called “monster” or “wahsh” as we Kuwaitis call it, you have to be ingesting in copious amounts of calories, supplements and sometimes ergogenic performance enhancers (anabolic steroids, androgens, etc). The human body was not designed to explode/grow like that, so you don’t have to worry.

In my opinion, weight-lifting will help you with the “overall” lean athletic look. It’ll also contribute to stabilizing your blood sugar levels, high cholesterol and (depending on your diet) high blood pressure.

Thanks again Fahad for your valuable answers to me. I think my body is fine with Dymatize so i will stick for it now.

However, how about the multivitamins i mentioned (ultibionta Activate Multivitamin (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Seven-Seas-Multibionta-Activate-Probiotic/dp/B0013G8NCW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=drugstore&qid=1280726665&sr=8-2). Do you think i should continue with it (i hear it does not harm the body even if taking extra vitamins and minerals as the body does not store them). Thanks again.

Hira,
My pleasure!
This isn’t a low-carb diet. This is a “no complex/starchy” carbs diet. Fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc are ALL carb sources. In this day and age, people think that carbs are limited to processed breads, rice, potato chips, crackers and digestive biscuits. Focus on GREENS GREENS AND MORE GREENS!

1) I LOVE psylium husk. Nothing kills irregularities more than that. Feel free to include that WITH 1-2 of your meals.
2) Yes you may, but limit it to 1 tsp of olive oil. You may also use 1 tsp of butter.
3) Spices are virtually low in calories and high in taste and trace nutrients. Limit soy sauce consumption to 1 tablespoon when marinating your fish, beef, chicken, etc.
4) Yes, but only 1 slice of non-fat cheese.

I knew a Japanese dude called Hiro, so..you know 😛

Keep me updated 🙂

Ali from Bahrain,
Sorry I missed your multi-vitamin inquiry!
Multi-vitamin & mineral consumption is based on your overall stress levels throughout the day. Personally, one-a-day multis will not help me go through my daily routine. My days are very active and are in need of high doses of vitamins & minerals.

The multi you presented is perfect, for the average person. Since you’re involved in vigorous activities, your body needs a bit more to get the job done. Nonetheless, I haven’t personally monitored your performance or blood-work, so I might be completely off with my assumption.

Do you feel stressed or in control? Do you feel fatigued or energized? Is your body not producing the results you want it to produce? These are the questions you’ll need to be answering in order to assess your daily routine.

Don’t hesitate to ask me more questions buddy 🙂

Hey Fahad,

Thanks for the detailed response! Really appreciate it! You know, you are actually doing a very noble service by helping so many people out for free.
On behalf of alot of people in Kuwait..THANK YOU!.

Now, onto business. Well, let me start at the top.

1)BODYWEIGHT
I agree, I am both underweight and overweight. Depends on how you look at it.
Fortunately I do a rather ace job of hiding my short commings so I have no issues with the ladies 😉 However, I’m wondering…what should be my target bodyweight and bodyfat %. Note: I’m 6’2 and 24yrs old. I’ve set a personal goal of gaining 8kg of muscle and burning off 10kg of fat by the end of 2010. I think that’s realistic but then again, I have no idea what I’m talking about. Maybe you can shed some light on if I’m setting realistic expectations for myself.

2) I cannot do cardio from 5-6pm. The sad truth is that I have to prepare for an MBA entrance exam from 5-8pm every weekday. I honestly have to give this everything I’ve got.

3) CALORIES
How many calories does my meal plan add up to?

4) CARDIO

I really do not want to do one hour of cardio before my weight training sessions. It’ll take alot of energy away from that. However, I do agree with doing cardio immediately AFTER lifting weights. What speeds should I use immediately after weights? Tredmill? Stationary bike? Wierd cross country skiiing machine? (i think its called an eliptical trainer)..which one’s better for only burning fat and not affecting my muscle growth?
Should I consume a protein shake and/or Cellmass (creatine) inbetween weight training and cardio to ensure im not in a catabolic state?

Absolutely, agree about interval cardio at speed 5/8 on non weight lifting days for 20mins to begin with and adding 5minutes every week unless I surprise myself and am able to add more.
Now, will doing cardio the day after I train my legs negatively affect muscle growth on my quads, hamstrings and calves?
Also, will doing cardio immediately after squats, leg curls etc be bad for my legs?

5) NUTRITION
I noticed that there is a 1hour and 40minute gap between the conclusion of my weight training and eating a solid meal. Is’nt that too long? I know it will help me burn fat but I really cannot afford to lose any muscle. In fact, I’m looking to realistically gain 1kg of muscle during Ramadan. I do not mind burning less fat, in favor of building more muscle. Being weak is far worse than being fat. The truth is, power defines a man. Financial, physical and so on and so forth. I am uber keen to build muscle. Atleast 1kg per month.

6) CONFESSION
I’m actually strongly considering having a solid mid day meal during Ramadan. I need to get in shape for reasons far beyond just looking good or being better in sports and I do not wish to disclose them on a public forum. Do you think this would significantly advance my gains?

7)SUPPLEMENTS
What do you suggest?

I apologize for so many questions but I want to do this right.
I know alot of people on this forum will take your advice and get lazy and not follow it. But there some who will follow it religiously and I’m one of them. I’m going to put in the effort. I want to make sure I do it right.
Thanks for everything Fahad! You are doing a great service to Kuwait! =)

Hey, I was wondering… Do they sell Vitamin Water in Kuwait? If so, where?

Thanks.

A minor typo in my previous post, I started with a 27% body fat and 110 kgs, and now I am 24.5% body fat and 98 kgs.

I will be waiting for your reply.

Wolverine,
Hey there! My apologies for the 5-day late reply; had an awesome activity-packed weekend

1)BODYWEIGHT
Gaining 8kg of muscle is possible, but not realistic if you plan on gaining that much lean muscle mass (without anabolic steroids) by the end of the year. On the other hand, losing 10kg of fat is possible.
Your target lean bodyweight & body fat depend on what exactly you’re looking for. In my opinion, 10% bodyfat is an optimal range to both build muscle and burn fat at the same time. Moreover, you’ll look lean and mainstream (pleasing to the eye) at the same time.
Since you’re 6’2, any weight below 90kg will make you look scrawny.

2) 5pm – 8pm? What about futoor? If you can’t achieve this, then do it post-workout or at 4pm to 5pm.

3) CALORIES
Between 1,000 to 1,200 depending on serving sizes. My diets are more content based rather than calorie based. I’m starving the fat, but feeding the muscle. Moreover, since you’ll be working out no more than 3 times a week, you won’t be needing copious amounts of calories.

4) CARDIO
Treadmill work on 6.0. If you feel the need to jump-start intensity, set it on an incline of 6.0, or you may perform the prescribed HIIT routine for added intensity and fat-loss.
Do not consume any shake or supplement in between weight-training and cardio. You will not run the risk of raising your cortisol levels.
Performing any source of cardio after weight-training will flatten your muscles, but not eat into them if you’re well nourished (i.e. eating enough protein, not skipping meals, etc). IF your lower body is lagging, then performing cardio post-workout will slightly blunt growth.

5) NUTRITION
That’s long if I haven’t included the post-workout shake immediately after the gym, which I did. You’ll be eating a solid meal 60 minutes after the consumption of your shake.
If you find yourself shrinking too much while on a fat-loss routine, then you over-anticipated your muscle mass. This means that you’re not carrying as much muscle as you thought you were.

6) CONFESSION
Don’t over think things and just ride Ramadan through. Your religious goals far outweigh your physical objective. You’ll have enough time to compensate muscle growth after Ramadan and I’ll make sure that happens.

7) SUPPLEMENTS
For any experience lifter, a great whey protein powder, creatine monohydrate, fish oil and a multi-vitamin/mineral. Those should contribute to a solid meal plan, and not replace it.

More than happy to answer your questions, and I greatly appreciate your kind words 🙂

HI Fahad,
Thanks for your reply. I’m a bit confused, you advised to do sahoor 15-20 minutes before imsaak to chew it properly, but previously you told only to take laban in suhoor, i’m confused a bit, can you clear my doubts, please.

Arefa,
Hello! I’m glad you liked it, and found it to be informative 🙂
I’ll be supplying you with a diet plan for Ramadan and a normal one in my next post.

I need to know what you plan on doing in Ramadan. Would you kindly answer my questions below so that I may plan accordingly:
1) What do you eat at futoor? Be very specific please.
2) Favorite sweets
3) Preferred workout time (before or after futoor)
4) What do you eat at suhoor?

The more you go into detail the better.
Awaiting your kind reply.

Dr. Ahmed,
Hey doctor! Appreciate your inspiring words 🙂 Since your inquiry was the longest, I decided to save it for last:

I’d like to clarify that fast fat-loss is a lot more successful than slow fat-loss. It has been proven that people who rapidly (3-6 months) lost the fat are better able to maintain their weights in comparison to people who took their time (1-2 years).

Moreover, your 1-2kg per week is great, but in my opinion you can lose up to 3-5kg a week (yes it’s possible and healthy if done correctly).

Ramadan Plan:

1:00pm to 4:00pm – Nap

5:00 – 5:30 – 1-2 hours prior to futoor:
60 minutes of moderate intensity cardio (speed 6.0 on any commercial gym treadmill).

6:30 – Futoor:
1 glass of water, 3 dates, another glass of water (in that sequence)
Pray
5-6oz of Grilled Chicken Breast OR 5-6oz of grilled fish OR 5-6oz of lean red meat
Green Salad w/ lemon & vinegar

Sip on 1 liter of water in between

10:00 – Snack
1 Dessert + 1 teabag of Green Tea
Options:
-Kanafa: the length, width & thickness of your 4 fingers (excluding your thumb) closed
-Cake: take your index and middle finger and spread them out)
-Atayif or Qatayif 3 pieces with lightly dipping them in syrup
-Ice cream: 1 scoop, no toppings

Sip on 1 liter of water in between

12:00 – WORKOUT – Sip on 1 liter of water
OR
Additional cardio on your non-workout days (45-60 minutes)

1:00 – Dinner:
5-6oz of Grilled Chicken Breast OR 5-6oz of grilled fish OR 5-6oz of lean red meat
Green Salad w/ lemon & vinegar

Notes to consider:
– Drink water 15 minutes before and after a meal or snack.
– Your meal plan is moderate in protein, low in starchy carbs (bread, potatoes, rice, etc), high in green veggies (its ok to over consume those) and moderate in sugar (dates and the dessert). Overall, it’s low in carbs.
– After 14 weeks of the diet above, treat yourself to a cheat meal every 7 days composed of an appetizer, an entree and 1 dessert.
– The plan above is designed for rapid fat-loss and will only be used in Ramadan.

Kindly provide me with your feedback so that I may adjust accordingly.

To all:
I may take a few days to reply, but the post is still alive and I’ll be more than happy to provide diet advice. 🙂

Hello fahad..
Thanks for the great post ..
I am 174 cms and 83 kgs .. I have been dieting sice feb I lost 13 kgs .. I do weight lifting and I do martial arts 5 days a week .
On ramdan..
I will be doing martial arts at 9:30 . 4 times a week.. I am thinking to hit the gym everyday befor futoor to burn some fat by doing some cardio .. and hit and at 9:30 i will join my martial art class , what kind of diet do u recomand?
and is it possible to do weight lifiting SUPER SETS since i wanna burn fat and lose weigth .. and if yes .. could that be at the same day of martial arts or the other 3 days?

Thanks

Hi Fahad,
I was the Anonmymous you were referring to by “Anonymous #2”
From now on, I’ll identify myself as Syed rather than Anonymous.

Many thanks for your efforts.

Dr. Ahmed,
You’re welcome and that book’s a great read. However, his plan’s are better off when you want to get into “lean bulking/recomp”, i.e. gaining muscle mass while shedding body fat.

In my opinion, if you happen to carry a good amount of stubborn fat then you need to squeeze all that fat out first then focus on gaining muscle. Once achieved, you can focus on following his plan and stay in shape year-round while shedding more body fat.

Since you’re new to weight-lifting and the whole idea of gaining muscle, you don’t need to worry on making gains in Ramadan. Moreover, you need to focus on free-weight compound exercises to reap the benefits of maximal muscle gains; and cable/machine work aren’t going to cut it.

An expert’s only as good as his own experiences. I need to review whatever research studies I read first and test them on myself before implementation on clients. Hence, whatever I’m preaching has been experienced in order for me to provide first-hand information.

In regards to your workout routine, would you kindly show me what exactly you are currently doing so that I can plan accordingly?

Here’s a revised diet plan:

Ramadan Plan:

1:00pm to 4:00pm – Nap

5:00 – 5:30 – 1-2 hours prior to futoor:
60 minutes of moderate intensity cardio (speed 6.0 on any commercial gym treadmill).

6:30 – Futoor:
1 glass of water, 3 dates, another glass of water (in that sequence)
Pray
5-6oz of Turkey Breast OR 5-6oz of grilled fish OR 5-6oz of lean red meat
Green Salad w/ lemon & vinegar

Sip on 1 liter of water in between

9:30 – 1 teabag of Green Tea

10:00 – Snack
Turkey or Chicken Sandwich:
2 slices of Whole-grain bread
4-5oz of Turkey Breast
1 slice of low-fat cheese
Lettuce
1 tbsp of Mustard & Ketchup for taste

Sip on 1 liter of water in between

12:00 (30-60 minutes) – WORKOUT – Sip on 1 liter of water

(Immediately After Training) 1:00 – Dinner:
5-6oz of Grilled Chicken Breast OR 5-6oz of grilled fish
Green Salad w/ lemon & vinegar

3:30 – Suhoor:
250ml of Skimmed Milk + 1 whole egg & 2 egg whites

Supplementation:
1 multi tab w/ futoor & 1 with suhoor.
Switch your flaxseed gels with fish oil. Pop in 1 softgel with futoor, 1 with your 10 pm snack and 1 with suhoor.

Ramadan Kareem 🙂

Thanks Fahad. Great plan.

I think I could be much more compliant on this plan. I have only a couple of tweaks, if its ok:

1) As I mentioned before, my night work end 11 pm, I will be having my 10pm meal after that.

2) I see you have put in some carbs in your revised plan, but removed the ramadan sweets. I wish I can do that.

3) I may substitute some of the milk in sohor with a small serving of beans (fool)

My work outs are based on a plan in a book called “Body for life”. Personally, I am not so convinced its enough though. I do 3 days a week 30 minute moderate intensity treadmill jog, and the other 3 days weights. My weights are a 2 days split routine. So, in one week I do upper body, then lower, then upper again. The next week I do upper, lower then upper again, and so on.

My upper body routine consists of a 10 minutes warm up on the treadmill, then I start 2 excercises per muscle group as follows:

Chest: Cable presses. Sets of decreasing reps, and increasing weights. Sets of 12, then 10, then 8, then 6 reps, with increasing weights with 1 min rest, then 2 successive sets, cable prsses, and cable pulls (I don’t know whats its name, its bringing the arms together with squeezing the chest, rather than away from the body)

Shoulder: Cable shoulder press, as above, and ending with the final 12 reps of dumbell shoulder lifts.

Back: Cable lat pull downs, wide grip, ending with the final 12 being reverse close grip lat pull downs.

Triceps: Cable rope triceps excerice, final 12 being dumbell free weights, above the head extensions

Biceps: Cable curls, final 12 free wight (low weight, week biceps) curls

LOWER BODY:

Quads: Cable leg extension, final 12 free weight dumbell squats.

Hamstrings: Cable leg curls, finals being dumbell lunges (not sure about the form though)

Calves: Free weight standing calves (holding the dumbells, and standing on toes), as all, reducing reps sets, with increasing weights.

I then finish with abs crunches, and leg raising and extension excercise for the abs.

I hope I was clear. As you can see, I am mainly using the cable machine to assist me in the form, and to help me with the weights, cheating my way into doing minimal free weights. My cardio and weights are not on the same day. I have week muscles, so I am not confidence with free weights. I have an adjustable set though, with weights ranging from 5 to 32.5 kgs per dumble (not much I know, but too much for me already).

Sorry again for the long post, I just tried to be thorough. Plz don’t forget my diet questions above, as Ramadan started already, and I am not sure how my plan will work.

Thanks again, God bless you and happy Ramadan to you and to all.

Omar,
Hey Omar!
You’ve got only 6kg to go, and I’m more than sure ensha’Allah that you’ll lose them. Would you kindly send me your Ramadan eating plan, including your favorite/worst foods.

Try to be as detailed as possible. Awaiting your kind reply.

Hey Fahad,

First of all thanks for the article you rock ! I’m going for muscle maintenance, and this is my plan:
_________

5:00pm cardio 45min walking, abs training after

6:30pm futoor (5 dates+water), pray, consume 1 cup of yreesh and ceaser
salad (lettuce + fat free dressing + bits of parmesan cheese + chicken)

9:30pm After taraweeh drink black tea, then hit the workout (weight training)

10:15pm 1 cup of yreesh post workout

12:00am caesar salad (with chicken, parmesan and nofat dressing)

3:15am cottage cheese with strawberry or blackberries, 2-3 boiled eggs
__________

I got a few questions I’d be grateful if you can answer them:

Q1: I’d like your take on the above plan, are my timings right ?

Q2: I drank 2 cups of water on my fo6oor today and 4 cups after praying maghreb is that ok or too much ?

Q3: Regarding the all-famous sharbat (vimto), whats ur take on it ?

Q4: Regarding sleep, which is better staying awake between my last two meals ? or sleeping till suhoor ?

Q5: I got some fat lying around, will this diet plan help in cutting fat too ? approx how much will I expect to lose during this month ?

Thanks !

Ahmad

Hey Fahad,
Im 21 years old and I currently weigh 60kg and my height is 163cm. How much weight do I need to lose?
Also, I used to weigh about 67kg in February but lost 9kg in 3 months in May. Is that healthy? I gained about 2 Kg since summer and am working out to lose them to go back to 58 or lower.

Thank you very much

Ahmad,
Hey Ahmad! My apologies for the late reply but here goes:
(A few modifications since your plan seems great)

5:00pm cardio 45min walking, abs training after

6:30pm: Futoor
1 glass of water, 5 dates, & another glass of water (in that order)
Prayer
1-cup of yireesh & caesar salad w/ your prescribed ingredients (lemon & vinegar instead of the fat-free dressing)

9:30pm: 1 Cup of Black Tea or Black Coffee (no sugar)

10:15 pm: Post-Workout
3 whole scrambled eggs w/ 2 slices of non-fat slice cheese

12:45 am: Dinner
5-6oz of grilled chicken, lettuce, lemon & vinegar (no cheese)

3:15am:
1-Cup of Cottage Cheese w/ 1 cup of berries & 2 boiled eggs
__________

Q1: I’d like your take on the above plan, are my timings right?
A1: Timings have been adjusted accordingly

Q2: I drank 2 cups of water on my fo6oor today and 4 cups after praying maghreb is that ok or too much ?
A2: DRINK AS MUCH WATER AS YOU CAN! Try to consume a minimum of 3 liters from futoor to suhoor. Do not drink water while eating. Wait 15 minute before or after a meal to enhance digestion.

Q3: Regarding the all-famous sharbat (vimto), whats ur take on it ?
A3: Sugar mixed w/ water = disastrous. Look for canned diet Vimto if you must.

Q4: Regarding sleep, which is better staying awake between my last two meals ? or sleeping till suhoor ?
A4: More rest, the better. Sleep in between dinner & suhoor to get in a few hours of rest and rejuvenation.

Q5: I got some fat lying around, will this diet plan help in cutting fat too ? approx how much will I expect to lose during this month ?
A5: The cardio pre-futoor will help you shed those kgs of fat ensha’Allah. Stick to speed 6.0 on a treadmill and a maximum incline of 6.0 if you feel the need to increase the intensity.

Please don’t hesitate to reply with your feedback 🙂

Dalal AM,
You’re below your ideal weight, but I can be wrong depending on your body composition, i.e. fat weight rather than lean weight.

In my opinion, anywhere between 58-50kg is ideal for you. Moreover, 9kg in 3 months is healthy but slow. Nonetheless, you don’t have that much weight to lose to begin with.

Keep this in mind: the faster you lose the fat the better! You’ll have a better chance of keeping it off in the long run.

If you need any help, feel free to post up your Ramadan diet plan for me to critique and modify. 🙂

ok I found this trying to find an answer to my problem I am allergic to yeast which means I cant have breads of course and I cant have anything that would feed the natural yeast in my body and cause it to go crazy so I cant have carbs sugers and some fruits I cant have dates I do drink alot of water but during ramadan its has been very hard to keep my blood sugar up or just to have enough energy I stuff myself with high protien foods but its no use I keep getting light headed and dizzy
any ideas its been rough

No worries, thanks a lot Fahad !

I got some questions if you don’t mind answering them as well 🙂

Q1: I’ve noticed that you substituted the yreesh (post workout) for 3 whole eggs + 2 slices of nonfat cheese. Will yreesh or harees also give the same results ? And regarding those 3 whole eggs, how do I prepare them ? with olive oil or regular dalal oil ?

Q2: I’d like to know the reasoning to stay away from the nonfat caesar dressing, I mean it is fat-free right ?

Q3: Last time I couldn’t find berries at our co-op, so it might happen again, just incase that happens, what do u recommend other than berries that will taste good with cottage cheese ?

Q4: I workout 3 days a week, so I’m assuming that the post workout meal is consumed 3 times a week as well, correct ?

Q5: “Do not drink while eating”, really is that bad ? coz I’m a huge fan of eat, sip a little, eat..

That’ll be it. Thanks again 😀

Ahmad

Fahad j,
It’s bad karma to presume me dead! 😛
I’m alive and well alhamdulilah.

A few modifications:

5:30 – 45 minutes of treadmill cardio on speed 6.0

6:30 – Futoor
1 glass of water, 1 dates, and another glass of water (in that order)
Prayer
5 oz of Grilled skinless Chicken Breast
1 moderate bowl of Tabboula
2 Omega-3 (I’m assuming fish oil) gels & 3 cod liver oil softgels

7:30 – 1 tablespoon of instant black coffee (plain) (Don’t eat anything here. You’ve still got food in your stomach to fuel you from futoor)

8:00 – WORKOUT

8:45 – 9:00 – 20 Minutes of light swimming (no cardio since you’ll be doing that before futoor)

9:30 – PWO Shake
2 scoops of Whey Protein + 2 teaspoons of Creatine Monohydrate (no banana)

11:00 – Dinner:
5 oz of grilled chicken breast or 1 can of tuna (mixed w/ water)
1 moderate bowl of tabboula or green veggies (lettuce, cucumbers, broccoli, parsley, celery)

3:00 am – Suhoor:
1 scoop of Casein + 1 boiled egg

*Sip on 1 liter of water in between meals & snacks.

Provide me with your feedback so that I may adjust accordingly 🙂

Dalal AM,
Your body fat’s pretty much around what any other girl in Kuwait ranges in. Nonetheless, we can bring it down nsha’Allah:

Diet Plan:

4:30-5:15 45-60 min Cardio

6:30: Fotoor –
1 glass of water, 3 dates and another glass of water
Prayer
1 bowl of non-creamy soup (veggie, lentil)
1 small chicken breast or thigh (skinless)
Salad

10:00 – 10:30 – Snack
3 Atayef’s + 1 cup of Green Tea
(If you have other preferences in dessert please let me know so that I may confirm w/ the appropriate quantities)

1:00 – 1:30 – Dinner/Suhoor
Option 1: Grilled Chicken Salad w/ 1 tbsp of Dressing
Option 2: 2-4 pieces of non-fat cheese (any type) w/ veggies & olives
Option 3: 250ml of Skimmed Liban and 3 dates

Provide me with your feedback so I may make the necessary changes 🙂

Hi Fahad,
I am16 years old and my body fat percent is around 22%, I lost about 48 kilos in the past year and I just wanted some advice on what I should eat during Ramadan to keep on losing the excess fat to reach a more health Body Fat Percent. My Ramadan diet and workout plan is as follows:
Futor: 1 Chicken Breast, 1.5 cups cooked brown rice, 1 tomato, 1 onion, 1 bowl of lentil soup( without salt or oil), 1 handful unsalted peanuts, 3dates
Snack: half sliced avocado and 1 portion of fat free yogurt
Workout: 1.30 hours with my personal trainer
After workout: 200 grams of whole wheat pasta, tomato, onion, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 broccoli, 1 grated carrot
Snack: 2 slice wholegrain bread, fat free cheese, 1 tomato, 1 lettuce, 2 slices smoked turkey breast
Suhor: 40 g K fitness cereal with 100ml skimmed mil and 3 plain egg whites

Thanks,
Yousuf

It seems my last comment git burried under a pile of comments.

Here it goes again:

Thanks Fahad. Great plan.

I think I could be much more compliant on this plan. I have only a couple of tweaks, if its ok:

1) As I mentioned before, my night work end 11 pm, I will be having my 10pm meal after that.

2) I see you have put in some carbs in your revised plan, but removed the ramadan sweets. I wish I can do that.

3) I may substitute some of the milk in sohor with a small serving of beans (fool)

My work outs are based on a plan in a book called “Body for life”. Personally, I am not so convinced its enough though. I do 3 days a week 30 minute moderate intensity treadmill jog, and the other 3 days weights. My weights are a 2 days split routine. So, in one week I do upper body, then lower, then upper again. The next week I do upper, lower then upper again, and so on.

My upper body routine consists of a 10 minutes warm up on the treadmill, then I start 2 excercises per muscle group as follows:

Chest: Cable presses. Sets of decreasing reps, and increasing weights. Sets of 12, then 10, then 8, then 6 reps, with increasing weights with 1 min rest, then 2 successive sets, cable prsses, and cable pulls (I don’t know whats its name, its bringing the arms together with squeezing the chest, rather than away from the body)

Shoulder: Cable shoulder press, as above, and ending with the final 12 reps of dumbell shoulder lifts.

Back: Cable lat pull downs, wide grip, ending with the final 12 being reverse close grip lat pull downs.

Triceps: Cable rope triceps excerice, final 12 being dumbell free weights, above the head extensions

Biceps: Cable curls, final 12 free wight (low weight, week biceps) curls

LOWER BODY:

Quads: Cable leg extension, final 12 free weight dumbell squats.

Hamstrings: Cable leg curls, finals being dumbell lunges (not sure about the form though)

Calves: Free weight standing calves (holding the dumbells, and standing on toes), as all, reducing reps sets, with increasing weights.

I then finish with abs crunches, and leg raising and extension excercise for the abs.

I hope I was clear. As you can see, I am mainly using the cable machine to assist me in the form, and to help me with the weights, cheating my way into doing minimal free weights. My cardio and weights are not on the same day. I have week muscles, so I am not confidence with free weights. I have an adjustable set though, with weights ranging from 5 to 32.5 kgs per dumble (not much I know, but too much for me already).

Another question, you advised me with fasting low intensity cardio on speed 6. Is that better to be walking or jogging?

Sorry again for the long post, I just tried to be thorough. Plz don’t forget my diet questions above, as Ramadan started already, and I am not sure how my plan will work.

Thanks again, God bless you and happy Ramadan to you and to all.

hi fahad, i love your post find it excellent.
please give me advice i want to lose weight during ramadan atleast 7 kilos if possible.
i currently weigh 61 kgs and my height is 162 cm.
most of my fat is on my hips and belly.
i am not a big fan of gym or such but i don’t mind treadmill.
please tel me how i can lose my goal weight?
waiting your your response eagerly

Yousuf,
Hey! Modifications below:

5:00 – 6:00: Fast-paced walking for 60 minutes

6:30 – Futoor:
1 glass of water, 3 dates, another glass of water.
Prayers
1 chicken breast
1 bowl of lentil soup
Salad (tomato & onion may be added)

7:30 – Green Tea + 1 liter of water

9:30 – Snack
1-cup of fat-free yogurt or 1-cup of cottage cheese

10:00 – Workout + 1 liter of water

11:30 – Green Tea

12:00 – Dinner
2-4 slices of turkey breast, 2 slices of fat-free slice cheese, all wrapped in 5-10 pieces of lettuce
You may use 1 tbsp of mustard and ketchup if needed.

1:00 – Green Tea + 1 liter of water

2:00 – 3:00 – Suhor:
2 boiled whole eggs
OR
2 scrambled eggs in 1 tsp of butter (you may add in a tomato and an onion)

In my opinion, the above meal plan will help you shed the extra fat you have lying around.

Give me your feedback so that I may adjust accordingly.

Dr. Ahmed,
My apologies doctor! Here are the answers to your inquiries:

1) As I mentioned before, my night work end 11 pm, I will be having my 10pm meal after that.
A1) You may have it at 11pm, but no later.

2) I see you have put in some carbs in your revised plan, but removed the ramadan sweets. I wish I can do that.
A2) I did not remove any carbs. Your sources of carbs are as follows:
– 3 dates (from fructose & sucrose, simple carbs)
– Infinite consumption of veggies (fibrous leefy greens)
– whole grain bread

3) I may substitute some of the milk in sohor with a small serving of beans (fool)
A3) 1 small bowl of fool (eaten w/ a spoon) plus 1 boiled egg. The broad beans (fool)are high in protein, but not essential ones. The egg I gave you completes the amino acid profile of that meal, thus benefiting muscle gains.

WORKOUT:
Your workout plan sounds solid, but it isn’t enough for maximal muscle gains. You must realize that you’re only limited to an average fit physique if you opt to use that cable machine.
Free weights are better because they activate more muscles to do the work (i.e. compound movements) which in turn use up more calories for muscle gains instead of fat stores. Cable movements isolate the muscles and are better served at pumping more blood and nutrients into a muscle that has been fatigued by free weights.

CARDIO:
Q) Another question, you advised me with fasting low intensity cardio on speed 6. Is that better to be walking or jogging?
A) Fast-paced walking to be exact. If you have the energy to jog then go ahead, but don’t risk dehydration.

Hi fahad,

It’s 6 days now but no difference in my weight, it looks it’s increasing. as said by you i’m just drinking skimmed laban 250ml in suhoor, 60 minutes cardio before futoor, 3 dates and skimmed laban in futoor, then after taraveeh some samad and shish tawook. sometimes I drink avacado juice or samadi in night.
Also i take the following supplements :
a) seven seas multi-vitamin with ginseng + 200 mcg chromium + fish oil in suhoor
b) fish oil + 200 mcg chromium at futoor
c) 50 mg zinc with dinner.

i’m drinking 3+ litre of water between futoor and suhoor.

pls. advice any juice which can speed up my fat and what is my ideal weight, i’m now between 105-106, height is 185 cm, age is 29, male.

Hi, thank you for your response
for sahoor around 3:30am i usually have one chappati with chicken or sometimes a cup of tea.
for fahtoor,6:50) i have a date along with a boiled chickn sandwich and a samosa and fruits.
i dont usually have dessert but if im tempted i have a chocolate bar.
and
Dinner:(11:00pm) most of the time i skip dinner as im not very hungry.. but if i am i eat shawarma or something along with chapati but most of the time i skip dinner and have a cup of coffee or tea at that time.
waiting,
ZeeR

Hi Fahad,

Salam, I’m from Malaysia and I came across this page. I am 30 yr old woman, height 152cm, weight 67.5kg. My body fat is around 35,i think. I aim to lose 10 kg, however my weight seem to be static. I’ve just started doing light cardio 1 hour before futoor ( 30 mins cycling or treadmill) 2x/week. Plan to maintain 3-4 cardio session per week.

I didnt take rice during futoor and sohor ( only occasioanally and very little in amount). I drink sweet drinks about 2 glasses during futoor and 1 glass during sohor besides 3 glasses of plain water. I have sweet tooth and always crave of something sweet.

Thank you for your comment and idea.

ZeeR,
Before futoor, strive to get in 45-60 minutes of fast-paced walking to get your metabolism a boost, followed by the diet plan below:

Futoor:
1 glasss of water + 1 date + Another glass of water
1 Chicken breast or thigh
1-2 Samosa’s (no fruit)
Salad

30 Minutes Later:
1 teabag/cup of Green Tea

10:30 – Snack
1 chocolate bar w/ another cup of Green Tea

Between 1:00 – 3:00 – Suhoor/Dinner
1 grilled chicken breast or thigh
1 chapati
1 bowl of salad
OR
1-2 pieces of fruit if you’re not too hungry

It is crucial that you sip on 500ml-1 liter of water in between your meals and snacks.

Thank you for your help..
i will keep you updated with the results

Hi, Fahad. Life was looking very miserable , so i thought to add up some sweetness by drinking samadi or avacado juice but i think it’s not helping me.
I will stick to the plan , also socializing with friends is making me do that.
While walking on treadmill on speed 5.0, my pulse starts with 80, then goes down to 38-41 later when I become comfortable , then after i increase speed to 6.0, pulse increases till 77, then goes down till 45.
My resting pulse while working at office is between 61-65.
I don’t know why my pulse drops while exercising. I don’t feel any fatigue or anything, the feeling is very normal and OK.
I had a doubt on that machine, so I tried on another machine, it’s the same. While I run at 8.3, then pulse goes till 103-105 and drops further if I feel comfortable, otherwise there is not much difference.
my bp is alhamdulillah very normal 109/69, fasting sugar is 4.5 alhamdulillah. i don’t have any other problem.
The pulse dropping is normal or a matter of concern?
I read somewhere that heartbeat burns calories, so I fear that my reduced heart beat is not burning my fat.
Also after taraveeh, i started walking around 1 kilometer to add more efforts.

Hi Fahad I have a couple of questions regarding the diet plan you gave me. I also do weight training so will that affect my muscle growth? What type of butter is the most suitable for me?

Hey Fahad,

I want to know something about All Brad cereals. Basically I want to if All Bran Buds & All Bran Sticks are any different or is it the same formula just a different presentation?

Thank you.

Dalal AM,
Apologies, I missed your 2nd question. Yes, you may perform circuit training; it’ll do the job and hopefully more.

Iris,
Salam! I’m glad this post attracted attention all the way from Malaysia 🙂
You should aim for 10-15kg depending on how you look and feel.

I can’t really pinpoint your problem since I need to see your Ramadan eating routine in detail, including all meal timings and content.

So far, I can only assume the sweet drink at suhoor is effecting your results.

Awaiting your kind reply.

Hi Fahad,
Thanks for replying.
one more question, apology for posting so many questions, i;m too much desperate to loose fat.
If i don’t feel that there’s a difference in losing weight, can i skip the dinner for 1 week, I will have only laban in suhoor and 3 dates+laban in futoor + my multivitamin, zinc, chromium , fish oil supplements.
I know I can do it, but will it do any harm to my body? or is it ok to skip dinner for 1 week and dinner 1 week.
thanks for replying.

Syed,
No apologies needed brother 🙂
You’ve already increased your cardio, and that’ll do the job. If you feel that you need a much needed boost [to undo the damage from the juices you’ve been drinking] then you may have your proposed futoor and suhoor meal while taking your supplements.

Ensha’Allah if you continue with the plan (without the juices) plus 2 sessions of cardio per day, you will lose the fat.

Thank you so much for your reply..I will give you my diet plan as soon a possible..(^.^)v

Fahad bhai, in addition to my above query, fi good news, fi bad news.
Good news – my weight is now 102 in just 2 days, cannot believe.
reason, which i believe, I have stopped eating shish tawook or any other juice or ice cream, just 1 skimmed laban in suhoor, 1 skimmed laban in futoor, 3 dates, 4 half glasses of greeen tea, around 3+ litre of water, 6 almonds. 1+ hr of cardio after asr salah
Bad News – I cannot sleep, and while lying on bed, every 15-20 minutes, urination, around 4 times. Cannot sleep is different issue and urination is different issue.
actually I go to bed around 11pm, till 1am or 2pm cannot sleep, anyhow getting sleep after that but have to wake up for suhoor at 3:15, going to bed again at 4:30 after salah, cannot sleep till 6, and cannot sleep after 7, have to goto office. office finishes at 3, reach home, pray, goto gym, come back by 5:45, cannot sleep.
I’m going to office like a dead man walking.
Friday and Saturday only days when I’m getting complete sleep.

Syed,
That’s great news!
I’m getting 4-5 hours of sleep per night and 1 hour in the afternoon, so you’re not alone. Moreover, drinking that much water in such a short time will cause super frequent urination; again, you’re not alone.

Sleep marathons on the weekends are completely normal because you’re also not alone :). You’re showing the exact same symptoms as me and they’re completely normal in accordance to the Ramadan lifestyle.

Fahad, we need encouragement, a little push to continue the healthy life style, long time no article from you????

hey fahad…i wana loose 10kg weight during ramadan…and i can’t go to gym…at home i have only treadmill…so can u help me out what to do because its really important for me to loose weight…and what to eat in sehri because i didn’t understood like which options you gave we have to eat only that in sehri…do reply soon…
thank you

sorry height : 169-170