So, one of my coworkers is a know it all type. Roughly a month ago, I was talking to someone who mentioned my weighloss and I let them know a little about how I’ve been doing it (IF/CICO/Walking) and know-it-all decided to interject with just how terrible IF is and it will destroy your metabolism and cause mental harm as well.
This coworker observes Ramadan and has been trying to convince our office to participate in it this year. I get that one is a lifestyle and the other is religious, but how is one acceptable and the other isn’t? Boggles the mind.
Ignore them. They sound very ignorant. I observe Ramadan (since I was 8) and have ALWAYS lost weight, as I do when I do IF (albeit it’s getting slower now as I age). The WAY most present day Muslims observe Ramadan is actually terrible (with tables LADEN with unhealthy food and bizarre eating throughout the night) but the original idea was of course was similar to IF and also learned empathy with the truly hungry). You do you and pay no attention to those trying to force their views on you.
I am Muslim and I fast during Ramadan since I was like 9-10 years old, and I am telling you to ignore him .. there is absolutely nothing different between IF and Ramadan making Ramadan fasting more healthy, it’s religious, and we do it not because health related issues, we do it because Allah (our god) told us to do it, that’s it, so really just ignore him.
Funny - anecdotal but my mental health improves drastically when I am consistently doing IF 🤔
As for metabolism.. there are easy ways to keep it going and guessing and most IFers I have talked to just said having one day a week with a wider window and less strict eating does the trick.
In defense of this person (who sounds intolerable - I’d never tell a coworker anything about their diet, what my coworkers eat is none of my business), one of the points of Ramadan is that it’s not great for your body. It’s an ordeal, it’s meant to be a sacrifice.
From their standpoint, they’re giving $5 to charity and you’re lighting $5 on fire.
I’m here, so I don’t agree with them, because I do see the benefits of intermittent fasting. But if you don’t see the benefits, then their viewpoint makes perfect sense.
They’re a busybody, ignore them. But also:
If their viewpoint boggles the mind, try to be a little more open minded.
Does your office have a break room, or do people bring in food and eat at their desk? Do they have potlucks or cake or pizza days?
I can imagine that it would be super tough if fasting, regardless of reason.
I don’t know about him but I’ve had muslin friends invite me for pre-dawn and sunset meals and while they might dry fast while the sun is up, they absolutely FEAST twice a day, every day of Ramadan.
Think twice the spread of Thanksgiving dinner, every breakfast and every dinner. Ask your coworker how much he GAINS during Ramadan.
Your coworker is just being a jerk, and a bad Muslim. You can tell him that another form of intermittent fasting is 5:2 (fast 2 days, eat normally 5 days) which is exactly what is prescribed by Prophet Muhammad.
IF destroying your metabolism is outdated science. It was based on a study which tested metabolic rate after long term fasting and found that the matabolism had slowed. What the study didn’t include is that after they had returned to regular eating the body eventually readapts to the new surplus of calories. Think about it when we take any human or animal for that matter that is anorexic and massively under malnourished due to literally not eating and provide them with care and nourishment they become healthy they don’t just keep getting bigger and bigger unless they’re constantly sticking crap in their pie whole.The body is a survival machine the same way your metabolic rate slows and adapts during periods of famin for survival to conserve energy it also adapts to a surplus and burns more calories to survive.
People who push their beliefs are insecure and need validation. Next time this coworker says anything, ask for a peer reviewed source (it sounds like one hasn’t been provided because one doesn’t exist) that Ramadan’s schedule is better.
Or you could just be petty and break your fast in front of your coworker with their favorite foods.
Seems like your coworker doesn’t understand how fasting is part of the religion. Outside of Ramadan, people fast Monday/Thursday like the Prophet Mohamed pbuh did also fasting is prescribed when dealing with certain illnesses and difficulties.
I take part in Ramadan and it’s been the thing that has provided insight regarding the benefits of fasting. How this person can say IF is terrible is baffling the only difference between observing fasts in Ramadan and IF is that you cannot drink or eat anything including water during fasts for Ramadan.
Hahaha I love it when people carry on like this.
Like, sure man. Think what you want!
It’s not as if I hold the key to a life of stable energy throughout each and every day as well as complete control over my weight for the entirety of my existence. It’s also untrue that my fatty liver diagnosis was completely reversed from IF.
Yeah, terrible stuff.
If you’re a hypocrite raise your hand. Maybe he is threatened because IF is like ramandan because you are fasting for long periods of time but news flash Christianity and Judaism also fast (I’m not sure if other religions do too ) so it’s not just limited to his religion.
Here’s the thing, there is increasing amounts of papers being published studying the long term effects of IF and long term use of it as a lifestyle is proving to not be good for the body.
Ramadan is an annual event for one month. It’s not every day, every week all year long.
In the short run use of IF is probably fine but for those that utilize it long term may be putting themselves at more risk vs other methods of healthy living.
Idk the benefits of 16/8 fasting or fasting in general all I know is that it’s meant for weight loss because of the time restricting the meals being eaten. Even then if u over do the eating no results will show, Nor any benefits I believe. I believe in science and only science.
People should have the courtesy to mind their own business, and don’t come on so strong on their beliefs. We are in America and we can make our own minds in what we do. From results of my wife and I, IF works great with the proper diet behind it.