What You Cannot Do
1) The main rule of fasting is that you must not eat or drink anything from dawn until sunset. After sunset, Muslims eat a meal known as iftar.
2) Sexual relations between married couples are banned during the daylight hours of fasting. A main part of fasting is about controlling your desires.
3) You should refrain from bad habits including swearing, gossiping, arguing, fighting or being disrespectful, cruel or selfish.
These are things Muslims should avoid at any point of the year, but even more so during the holy month.
What Is Ramadan Actually About
Ramadan is the most sacred month of the year for Muslims the Prophet Mohammed reportedly said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of heaven are opened and the gates of hell are closed and the devils are chained.”
Muslims believe it was during this month that God revealed the first verses of the Quran, Islam’s sacred text, to Mohammed, on a night known as “The Night of Power” .
During the entire month of Ramadan, Muslims fast every day from dawn to sunset. It is meant to be a time of spiritual discipline of deep contemplation of one’s relationship with God, extra prayer, increased charity and generosity, and intense study of the Quran.
But if that makes it sound super serious and boring, it’s really not. It’s a time of celebration and joy, to be spent with loved ones. At the end of Ramadan theres a big three-day celebration called Eid al-Fitr,or the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast.
It’s kind of like the Muslim version of Christmas, in the sense that it’s a religious holiday where everyone comes together for big meals with family and friends, exchanges presents, and generally has a lovely time.
Intermittent Fasting And Keto: Should You Combine The Two
The keto diet and intermittent fasting are two of the hottest current health trends.
Many health-conscious people use these methods to drop weight and control certain health conditions.
While both have solid research backing their purported benefits, many people wonder if its safe and effective to combine the two.
This article defines intermittent fasting and the keto diet and explains whether combining the two is a good idea.
1 ).
There are many different types of intermittent fasting routines, including the 5:2 method, the Warrior Diet and alternate-day fasting.
Perhaps the most popular kind of intermittent fasting is the 16/8 method, which involves eating during an eight-hour timeframe before fasting for 16.
Intermittent fasting is mainly used as a weight loss technique.
However, studies found that it may benefit health in many other ways.
For example, intermittent fasting has been shown to reduce inflammation and improve brain function and blood sugar control .
Summary
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern that involves rotating between periods of fasting and normal eating. Popular methods include the 5:2 and 16/8 methods.
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May Smooth Your Path To Ketosis
Intermittent fasting may help your body reach ketosis quicker than the keto diet alone.
Thats because your body, when fasting, maintains its energy balance by shifting its fuel source from carbs to fats the exact premise of the keto diet .
During fasting, insulin levels and glycogen stores decrease, leading your body to naturally start burning fat for fuel .
For anyone who struggles to reach ketosis while on a keto diet, adding intermittent fasting may effectively jumpstart your process.
Have The Right Motives
Fasting as a Christian means to humble ourselves before the Lord. Its a way to glorify Him, so our focus should be centered around Him rather than ourselves.
When you fast, you shouldnt:-Fast to be seen by others-Fast for a reward-Fast to be more holy or righteous
But when you fast, you should:-Fast to deny oneself-Fast to deepen spiritual hunger for God-Fast for Gods intervention
Remember that God sees every intention of the heart. Make sure that before you begin your fast, your heart is in the right place which is to desire to be in alignment with God and the things of Him.
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Intermittent Fasting Rules To Finally Get You Results
Most people come across intermittent fasting because they want to achieve sustainable weight loss results. Nevertheless, the health benefits of intermittent fasting go far beyond that.
Intermittent fasting improves digestion, gut health, life expectancy, and even muscle gain when used correctly.
Unfortunately, most people fail to achieve these successes due to subtle mistakes. With these ten rules for intermittent fasting, that cant happen to you!
The : 2 Diet For Weight Loss
If you need to lose weight, the 5:2 diet can be very effective when done right.
This is mainly because the 5:2 eating pattern helps you consume fewer calories.
Therefore, it is very important not to compensate for the fasting days by eating much more on the non-fasting days.
Intermittent fasting does not cause more weight loss than regular calorie restriction if total calories are matched (
Summary
The 5:2 diet should be very effective for weight loss if done correctly. It may help reduce belly fat, as well as help maintain muscle mass during weight loss.
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Do Not Put Milk In Your Coffee
When drinking water, coffee, or tea, mistakes repeatedly happen during intermittent fasting, which clear rules can prevent. In the end, many beginners usually just lack reliable information.
Thus, many fasting beginners get carried away and add a splash of milk or sugar to their black coffee.
But these subtle little things can have significant effects. By raising blood sugar and insulin levels, they break the fast. So, time and time again, a good portion of the health benefits and progress in losing weight are negated.
For example, followers of the ketogenic diet also tend to forget that Bulletproof Coffee breaks the fast.
So while butter, coconut, or MCT oil in coffee helps with hunger in between meals, it prevents the full health benefits of fasting.
Finally, you also need to burn the fat from Bulletproof Coffee before the body into its fat stores.
Although bone broth is also a prime source of electrolytes and fat, it, too, technically breaks the fast and should only be used as a jump start. Once you get used to intermittent fasting, its just as taboo as Bulletproof Coffee.
Furthermore, many people dont realize that while light and zero drinks are sugar-free, they can still break the fast.
Do We Need Intermittent Fasting Rules For Weight Loss
Intermittent fasting sounds very simple. For example, standard 16/8 intermittent fasting has just two rules:
- No breakfast
- No snacks
But even simple concepts hide complex relationships.
Youve probably read about countless intermittent fasting success stories. Youve done your research, tried things out, and still arent convinced?
To achieve lasting success with intermittent fasting, it comes down to supposed subtleties.
Thats why this article sets up rules for intermittent fasting that get to the heart of all the essential basic principles. If you dont know this basic information, you will find yourself disappointed over and over again.
In addition, people need clear rules that they can always keep in mind to bring the necessary continuity into their daily lives.
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Stage 5 Fasting : Stem Cells And Immune Function
The final stage of fasting begins after a full three days without food.
Before you read about the benefits, note that a 72-hour fast is a serious undertaking. If youre going to try it, make sure you drink plenty of water, get plenty of electrolytes like sodium, magnesium, and potassium, and stop fasting if you feel lightheaded or otherwise unwell.
Intermittent Fasting Is More Than Just Skipping Breakfast Or A Fad Diet
I often get asked what my preferred nutrition strategy is for losing weight and, for the last five years, Ive never hesitated to respond with intermittent fasting. Its my go-to for the months of April through July.
As summer approaches, dropping the body fat I gained during the winter months is my priority and intermittent fasting has never failed me.
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The Rules Of Intermittent Fasting
The first thing we need to talk about is what does and doesnt break a fast. You might not like the short answer: taking in any calories will technically break your fast.
But there is some grey area here. Food is out, for sure, but drinking a cup of black coffee or tea is only around 5 calories and likely does not break your fast. Plus, the caffeine tends to help alleviate your hunger a bit.
So the bottom line here is to stay as close to zero calories as possible during your fasting period.
16/8 Fasting
This is simply time-restricted eating. Fast for up to sixteen hours and only eat during an eight-hour window.
The most common way people do this is by not eating anything after dinner at night and either skipping breakfast or pushing it back until lunchtime.
Fast for 16 hours and eat only in an 8-hour window.
Rule # : Refraining Anything Entering The Body While Fasting
It is self-explanatory that during fasting, youre not supposed to consume anything, whether it is liquid or solid food, but unlike intermittent and other types of fasting, anything entering the body cavity is not allowed. Whether it enters the body through the throat, open wounds, nose, private parts, intestine, or any other place is strictly forbidden.
However, if in a specific instance something enters the body through any canal/channel accidentally, it is advised to repent and continue with the fast. But if done it deliberately, the fast immediately discontinue.
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Foods List And Meal Plan
To maximize the potential health benefits of your diet, its important to stick to nutritious whole foods and beverages during your eating periods.
Filling up on nutrient-rich foods helps round out your diet and supports a healthy weight. Try balancing each meal with a wide variety of whole foods, such as:
- Fruits: apples, bananas, berries, oranges, peaches, pears, tomatoes, etc.
- Veggies: broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cucumbers, leafy greens, etc.
- Whole grains: barley, buckwheat, quinoa, rice, oats, etc.
- Healthy fats: olive oil and avocados
- Protein sources: eggs, fish, legumes, meat, poultry, nuts, seeds, etc.
Drinking calorie-free beverages like water and unsweetened tea and coffee, even while fasting, also helps control your appetite while keeping you hydrated.
Its best to avoid ultra-processed foods like packaged snacks, deep-fried items, sugary drinks, and most frozen meals. These negate the positive effects of 16/8 intermittent fasting and may harm your health.
Summary
To begin 16/8 intermittent fasting, choose an 8-hour window and limit your food intake to that time span. Be sure to follow a balanced diet based in whole foods.
Summary
Animal and human studies suggest that intermittent fasting may increase weight loss, improve blood sugar levels, and extend longevity.
Utpanna Ekadashi : Here Are The Rules Of Fasting On This Auspicious Day
Utpanna Ekadashi is observed after Kartik Purnima. This year, it will be marked on 30 November. As per mythology, Goddess Ekadashi was born on this day. It is said the purpose of her birth was to defeat demon Mur, who tried to kill Lord Vishnu.
The Utpanna Ekadashi tithi began at 4.13 am today, and will end at 2.13 am on 1 December. Devotees who are planning to observe a fast on all the Ekadashis can start with the Utpanna Ekadashi fast, as per belief.
Devotees observe fast on Ekadashi Tithi by following a set of rules:
Devotees remain awake throughout night to pay reverence to Lord Vishnu and chant the Vishnu Sahasranam or sing hymns dedicated to him. However, those who are unable to stay awake the whole night can wake up early during Brahma Muhurat and perform the puja vidhi. The following day, devotes follow a set of rules that include:
- Taking a bath and wearing clean clothes
- Meditating for some time. After that they need to light a lamp as well as offer flowers, fruits and incense to the goddess
- While offering flowers, devotees need to chant the ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya‘ mantra with devotion and utmost sincerity
- During the prayer, devotees seek forgiveness for any mistake that they may have committed during the vrat
- After the puja is done, devotees offer bhog to everyone.
- The food prepared for breaking the fast must not have onion and garlic.
- Finally, when the fast is broken, devotees consume only Sattvic foods
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Guidelines For Traditional Penitential Practices
Here are the traditional rules of fast and abstinence as observed per the 1962 liturgical calendar and outlined in Canons 1250-1254 of the 1917 Code of Canon Law.
Who was bound to observe these laws?
- The law of abstinence bound all Catholics, beginning on the day after their 7th birthday.
- The law of fasting bound all Catholics, beginning on the day after their 21st birthday and ending at the midnight which completed their 59th birthday.
What was forbidden and allowed to be eaten?
- The law of abstinence forbade the eating of flesh meat and of broth made of meat, but did not exclude the use of eggs, dairy products, or seasonings made from the fat of animals.
- The law of fasting prescribed that only one full meal a day was taken with two smaller meals that did not equal the main one.
- As to the kind of food and the amount that might be taken, the approved customs of the place were to be observed. It was not forbidden to eat both flesh meat and fish at the same meal, nor to interchange the midday and evening meals.
In the Universal Church
- Abstinence was obligatory on all Fridays, except on Holy Days of Obligation outside of Lent.
Fasting and complete abstinence were obligatory on the following days:
- Ash Wednesday
- Fridays and Saturdays in Lent
- Good Friday
- Holy Saturday
- Ember Days
- Vigil of Pentecost
- Vigil of Christmas
Partial abstinence
Some further clarifications to universal laws
Particular rules observed in the USA
Holy Days of Obligation in the USA
- All Sundays
Muscle Growth And Repair
A study of healthy adults found that 48-hour fasting increased human growth hormone secretion by up to 400%. It also increased the frequency of growth hormone bursts throughout the day.
HGH increases muscle mass and stimulates faster muscle repair. It may also speed up the healing process for wounds and more serious injuries. HGH is so effective that taking it externally is banned in professional sports and is considered doping.
It seems counterintuitive, but occasionally going without food for two days may actually help you build muscle, not lose it.
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What Is A Typical Day Like During Ramadan
During Ramadan, Muslims wake up well before dawn to eat the first meal of the day, which has to last until sunset. This means eating lots of high-protein foods and drinking as much water as possible right up until dawn, after which you can’t eat or drink anything.
At dawn, we perform the morning prayer. Since it’s usually still pretty early, many go back to sleep for a bit before waking up again to get ready for the day .
Muslims are not supposed to avoid work or school or any other normal duties during the day just because we are fasting. In many Muslim countries, however, businesses and schools may reduce their hours during the day or close entirely. For the most part, though, Muslims go about their daily business as we normally would, despite not being able to eat or drink anything the whole day.
When the evening call to prayer is finally made , we break the day’s fast with a light meal really more of a snack called an iftar, before performing the evening prayer. Many people also go to the mosque for the evening prayer, followed by a special prayer that is only recited during Ramadan.
This is usually followed by a larger meal a bit later in the evening, which is often shared with family and friends in one another’s homes throughout the month. Then it’s off to bed for a few hours of sleep before it’s time to wake up and start all over again.
Stay Away From Sweeteners
Sugar-free light drinks are popular not only for diets but in general. Nevertheless, it is these drinks that prevent success in intermittent fasting.
Contrary to the advertising message, zero sugar does not stand for fat burning in reality.
Although sweeteners such as aspartame and stevia do not increase blood sugar levels, they can stimulate insulin secretion .
Moreover, they erase gut bacteria that are a guarantor of our health .
Precisely because sugar-free drinks hardly increase blood sugar levels, they trigger cravings for sweets in the brain. Therefore, sweeteners make people hungrier than conventional sugar .
It appears that people who consume diet products like water are more often overweight, which is a proven fact.
Accordingly, researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio found that consuming light beverages increases the likelihood of weight gain by 47 percent .
During the fasting period, fluid intake is essential. However, it should be limited to water, mineral water, tea, and coffee without additives.
On the one hand, diet sodas break the fast. On the other hand, they will push your goals further away, even in eating periods.
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Wean Your Way Back In
Break your fast gradually. At this point, you will need to exercise watchful self control. Especially if you fasted food, its important to wean your way back in and not immediately eat a huge meal. Your body needs time to adapt and adjust. Start with something small such as a salad, potato, vegetables, etc.
