Weight Gain During Fasting, How Can It Be?

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Weight Gain During Fasting, How Can It Be?
Weight Gain During Fasting, How Can It Be?
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In addition to worship, many people also take advantage of the fast during Ramadan to lose weight. However, it turns out that not a few people actually gain weight during fasting. Why is that, huh? To know the answer, let's look at this article

During fasting, our time to eat and drink becomes very limited. Supposedly, this can be a he althy and effective way to lose weight. Even so, it turns out that there are several things that can cause weight gain during fasting.

Weight Gain During Fasting, How Can It Be? - Alodokter
Weight Gain During Fasting, How Can It Be? - Alodokter

Various Causes of Weight Gain During Fasting

Below are some of the causes of weight gain during fasting that you need to be aware of:

1. Overeating

Overeating is one of the main causes of weight gain during fasting. This can happen because when fasting, the body will adapt by holding back appetite. However, after breaking the fast, your appetite tends to increase again, so you may feel very hungry.

If not controlled properly, this hunger can cause you to overeat, starting from iftar to sahur.

2. Consumption of unhe althy food

Eating a variety of unhe althy foods, such as overly sweet foods, fatty foods, junk food, or fried foods, is one of the bad habits that many people often do in the month of Ramadan.

In fact, these foods are generally high in calories, sugar, and saturated fat, but lack nutritional content. If consumed in excess, these various foods can cause weight gain in the month of fasting.

3. Decreased physical activity

The body is weak due to holding back hunger and thirst during fasting, which often makes people lazy to do physical activity. In fact, being physically active is one way to keep your body fit, fresh, and your weight can be controlled.

So, if during fasting you don't control your diet and are not physically active, then it's not impossible that you will actually gain weight.

4. Sleep deprivation

In addition to diet, fasting can also affect our daily sleep patterns. Normally, adults need at least 7–9 hours of sleep every day. However, in the month of Ramadan, the duration of your night's sleep may be reduced because you have to get up for sahur.

Research shows that there is a link between lack of sleep and weight gain. The reason is, lack of sleep can trigger the body to produce appetite-stimulating hormones, so you are more at risk of eating a lot at night.

5. Slow down the body's metabolism

A sudden decrease in calorie intake can slow down the body's metabolism as a natural mechanism to save energy consumption. This slowing of the body's metabolism is often associated with weight gain, because fewer calories will be burned.

Tips to Maintain Weight During Fasting

If you want to maintain an ideal body weight during the fasting month, you can try the following tips:

  • Avoid overeating during iftar and sahur. Instead, consume food according to your calorie needs.
  • During sahur and iftar, choose foods that are high in fiber and protein content, so that the feeling of fullness can last longer.
  • Avoid eating foods that are high in sugar, high in s alt, and fatty foods.
  • Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day, with the distribution of 2 glasses when breaking the fast, 4 glasses before going to bed, and 2 glasses at dawn.
  • Make sure you get enough sleep every night.
  • Do light exercise, such as yoga or a leisurely walk, 30 minutes before iftar or 1 hour after iftar.

Fasting in the month of Ramadan can indeed bring many benefits to the body, including for weight loss. However, if it is not carried out properly, instead of making you lose weight, fasting can actually cause you to gain weight.

Therefore, from now on try to apply some of the tips above so that you don't gain weight during fasting. If you still have questions about how to lose weight while fasting, don't hesitate to consult a doctor.

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