Key points
- Worship comes first. Ramadan is first of all a month of prayer, reflection and community. Any weight you lose is a side effect, and this page only covers the health side.
- The average change is small. A large review of 85 studies found that people lose about 1 kg (2 lb) on average by the end of Ramadan, and much of it tends to return in the weeks after.
- Two meals do most of the work. A suhoor with protein, fibre and water, and an iftar that starts slowly, make the fasting hours easier and the evenings calmer.
- Movement still counts. A gentle walk just before iftar, or a longer one an hour or two after it, keeps you active without pushing your body when it has had no food or water.
- Talk to your doctor before Ramadan if you have diabetes, kidney or heart disease, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take medicines every day. Whether to fast is your decision, made with your doctor and your religious guidance.
Do people lose weight during Ramadan? What the studies show
Most people who fast lose a little weight during Ramadan, on average about 1 kg (2 lb), but the change is usually temporary. What happens after the month decides whether any of it lasts.
A large analysis combined 85 studies from 25 countries with more than 4,000 healthy adults who fasted. Body weight at the end of the month was about 1.0 kg lower than before it started. People who fasted for more hours each day, for example in summer or far from the equator, tended to lose a little more.
An earlier analysis of 30 studies found a clear drop in weight among men, while the average weight of women hardly changed. The researchers also saw lower fasting blood sugar and lower LDL cholesterol after the month.
A newer study followed 282 adults, some of whom fasted and some of whom did not. Food intake and weight went down during Ramadan and up again in the two weeks after it, and people who fasted moved less and felt sleepier during the day while the month lasted.
Why the results vary so much
Some people lose several kilos, others gain. The difference usually comes from what happens in the evening: a light, regular iftar and suhoor, or large meals with fried snacks, sweets and sugary drinks every night.
Ramadan is daytime fasting of a different kind than the planned eating windows on our intermittent fasting page: no food or drink at all from dawn to sunset, for a whole month, with a religious meaning. Our holiday weight gain page covers what one review found in the weeks after the fasting month ends.
| Moment | Typical change | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| First week of Ramadan | The scale may drop quickly at first; part of that is water and less food in the gut, not only fat | Do not read too much into it; keep suhoor and iftar regular |
| End of Ramadan | About 1 kg lower on average; more with longer fasting days, less or none for some people | Protein and vegetables at both meals, fewer fried foods and sweets, daily walks |
| The weeks after Ramadan | Weight often moves back towards where it started | A calm return to three regular meals and your usual walking routine |
Who should talk to a doctor before fasting?
Anyone with a long-term health condition or a daily medicine should talk to their doctor about Ramadan, ideally six to eight weeks before it starts. That leaves time to change medicine times or doses safely and to agree when to break a fast for health reasons.
We do not give religious advice. Whether you fast, and whether an exemption applies to you, is a matter for you, your doctor and your religious guidance, such as your imam or a scholar you trust. This page only explains the health side.
Check with your doctor first if you
- have type 1 or type 2 diabetes, especially if you use insulin or tablets that can cause low blood sugar
- have kidney disease, heart disease, high blood pressure that is treated with medicines, or have had a stroke
- are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding
- have now, or have had, an eating disorder
- take medicines that must be taken at fixed times or with food, such as a daily thyroid tablet (see our page on hypothyroidism and weight loss)
- are older and frail, live alone with a serious condition, or have a physically heavy job in the heat
Bring your list of medicines and your questions to that appointment; our doctor visit checklist helps you prepare. Never change or stop a medicine on your own because you plan to fast.
How doctors judge the risk with diabetes
International guidelines from the International Diabetes Federation and the Diabetes and Ramadan (DAR) Alliance give doctors a scoring tool. It adds up points for things like the type of diabetes, the medicines you use, recent low or very high blood sugar, kidney function, pregnancy, frailty, heavy physical work and how many hours the fast lasts where you live.
| Risk group | What the guidelines say | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Low risk | Fasting is probably safe | A check-up before Ramadan, medicine times adjusted, regular blood sugar checks |
| Moderate risk | Fasting safety is uncertain | The same steps with closer follow-up; your doctor talks through the risks with you |
| High risk | Fasting is probably unsafe | Doctors usually advise against fasting; talk it through with your doctor and your religious guidance |
Many people with diabetes fast every year, including some in the higher-risk groups, so the aim of these guidelines is to make the month as safe as possible. Studies show that structured advice before Ramadan lowers the number of low blood sugar episodes.
When to break the fast for your safety
Diabetes guidelines for Ramadan are clear that some situations call for ending that day’s fast straight away. These are the main ones:
- your blood sugar is below 3.9 mmol/L (70 mg/dL)
- your blood sugar is above 16.6 mmol/L (300 mg/dL)
- you have symptoms of low or very high blood sugar, even before you can test
- you feel dizzy, confused or faint, or show signs of dehydration
- you become acutely ill
The same guidelines note that checking your blood sugar with a finger-prick test does not break the fast, and call the opposite belief a common misconception. Our page on low blood sugar safety explains the warning signs and what to have with you.
Talk to your doctor first, well before Ramadan, if you have diabetes, kidney or heart disease, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or take medicines every day. Your medicine times and doses may need to change. This page gives general information, not medical or religious advice.
A filling suhoor for weight loss
The best suhoor for weight loss combines protein, fibre, slowly digested carbohydrates and water, so it keeps you full for many hours. Skipping suhoor to save calories usually backfires: you get hungrier, more tired and more likely to overeat at iftar.
Protein (eggs, yoghurt, beans, cheese, chicken or fish) slows digestion and helps protect your muscles while you eat less. Fibre from oats, wholegrain bread, beans and vegetables adds volume for few calories. Very salty foods and lots of sugar make thirst and hunger harder later in the day.
If your routine allows, eat suhoor closer to dawn rather than just before bed, so fewer of the fasting hours are spent on an empty stomach. A big glass of water with it is part of the meal, not an extra.
| Suhoor | What is in it | About kcal | About protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oats and yoghurt bowl | 40 g oats cooked in water, 150 g low-fat Greek yoghurt, 1 banana | 370 | 21 g |
| Eggs on wholegrain bread | 2 boiled eggs, 2 slices wholegrain bread, cucumber and tomato | 330 | 21 g |
| Fava beans and egg | 150 g cooked fava beans with 1 teaspoon olive oil and lemon, 1 egg, 1 slice wholegrain bread, tomato | 380 | 22 g |
All three give about 20 g of protein and plenty of fibre for under 400 kcal. Our page on eggs for weight loss has more ideas, and yoghurt, cottage cheese or a handful of beans work just as well when eggs do not suit you.
Small suhoor habits that help
- Prepare part of it the evening before, so you are not cooking half asleep.
- Keep fried foods, sweet pastries and very salty cheese or pickles for small amounts only.
- Choose water or unsweetened milk over sweet tea, juice or soft drinks.
- If you cannot eat much that early, a smaller suhoor with protein still helps more than none.
Breaking the fast at iftar without overeating
A calm iftar starts small, pauses, and then moves on to a balanced plate. After a long day without food, it is easy to eat very fast and very much, and the feeling of fullness takes time to catch up.
- Dates and water. Many people break the fast with dates and water. Two or three dates give quick energy, and diabetes guidelines for Ramadan also suggest two to three as a sensible amount.
- A bowl of soup. A vegetable or lentil soup warms you up and fills your stomach with few calories. Our soup for weight loss page has recipes.
- A short pause. Many people pray maghrib at this point. Those minutes give your body time to feel the first food before the main meal.
- A balanced plate. Half vegetables or salad, a quarter protein and a quarter rice, bread or another starch. Our portion control page explains this plate step by step.
- Eat slowly and stop when satisfied. Put your spoon down between bites and talk with the people around you.
Shared iftars with family, friends or at the mosque are a big part of the month. You do not have to refuse food; take smaller portions of the rich dishes and fill the rest of your plate with salad and grilled or stewed dishes.
A sample Ramadan day for weight loss
Talk to your doctor first before you change how you eat, especially if you have diabetes or take daily medicines. The day below shows the pattern, not a target; many people need more, and you can add more vegetables, soup or an extra slice of bread when you are still hungry.
| When | What | About kcal | About protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suhoor, before dawn | Fava beans and egg (see above), 2 glasses of water | 380 | 22 g |
| Afternoon | Gentle walk of 15–20 minutes, in the shade or indoors | – | – |
| Iftar, sunset | 2 dates, a glass of water, a bowl of homemade lentil soup with 1 slice wholegrain bread | 390 | 14 g |
| Main plate, after a pause | 120 g grilled chicken, 150 g cooked brown rice, a large salad with 1 teaspoon olive oil | 460 | 43 g |
| An hour or two later | Walk of 20–40 minutes at a comfortable pace | – | – |
| Late evening | 150 g low-fat Greek yoghurt with 1 orange, water through the evening | 170 | 16 g |
| Total | Two main meals, two smaller ones, plenty of water | about 1,400 | about 95 g |
For a vegetarian main plate, swap the chicken and rice for a chickpea and tomato stew with bulgur and salad: about 460 kcal, 20 g protein and a lot of fibre. Add a pot of yoghurt to bring the protein up.
Fried snacks, sweets and sugary drinks: lighter Ramadan swaps
Fried snacks, syrupy sweets and sweet drinks can easily add back more calories than the day of fasting saved, which is why some people gain weight in Ramadan instead of losing it. They are part of the joy of the evenings, so the aim is smaller amounts and lighter versions, not a ban.
Deep-frying is where many calories hide. Every tablespoon of oil that food soaks up adds roughly 120 kcal, so baking samosas, spring rolls or pakoras in the oven with a brushed teaspoon of oil saves a lot over a month of evenings.
| Usual choice | Lighter swap | About kcal saved |
|---|---|---|
| 150 g deep-fried potato chips | 150 g oven-baked potato wedges with 1 teaspoon oil | 280 |
| Fried snacks with 1 tablespoon of absorbed oil | The same snacks oven-baked, brushed with 1 teaspoon oil | 80 per portion |
| 5 large dates | 2 large dates, then water and soup | 200 |
| A glass (250 ml) of sweet fizzy drink | Water, sparkling water or water with lemon and mint | 110 |
| A glass (250 ml) of fruit juice | A whole orange and a glass of water | 50, plus more fibre |
| 200 g rice pudding | 100 g rice pudding with a few pieces of fresh fruit on the side | 80 |
| Two teaspoons of sugar in each of 3 cups of tea | Tea without sugar, or one teaspoon per cup | 45–90 |
Sweets made with syrup, pastry and nuts are rich, so one small piece eaten slowly gives most of the pleasure. Our pages on cutting down on sugar and drinks for weight loss go further.
Drinking enough between iftar and suhoor
You can only drink between sunset and dawn, so spread water over the whole evening instead of drinking a lot at once. A glass at iftar, one or two with the meal, a few during the evening and one or two at suhoor is a simple rhythm.
Very salty food, such as pickles, salted cheese, stock cubes and salty snacks, makes you thirstier the next day. Watery foods like soup, cucumber, tomatoes, watermelon and yoghurt add to your fluids too.
Signs that you are drinking too little include dark urine, headaches, dizziness and feeling very tired in the afternoon. If dizziness or confusion comes on during the fast, especially with diabetes or blood pressure medicines, that is a reason to break the fast and drink.
How much water suits you depends on your body size, the weather and your activity. Our water intake calculator gives a personal estimate, and water and weight loss explains how drinking water helps you eat less.
Walking and exercise during Ramadan: when and how much
The best times to walk during Ramadan are a short, easy walk shortly before iftar or a longer walk an hour or two after it. Both keep you moving without making you exercise hard for hours with no food or water.
| Time | Good for | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| 30–60 minutes before iftar | A gentle 15–20 minute walk; food and water come soon after | Keep it easy and avoid the heat; with medicines that can cause low blood sugar, ask your doctor first |
| 1–2 hours after iftar | Your longest walk of the day, 20–40 minutes at a comfortable pace | Usually the easiest time for most people; take water with you |
| After suhoor, early morning | A short walk if it suits your sleep | You cannot drink afterwards, so keep it short and cool |
Diabetes guidelines for Ramadan say normal activity can usually continue, but advise against hard exercise before sunset for people at risk of low blood sugar, such as those using insulin. A review of training during the fast found that exercise feels harder and performance drops while fasting, so this is not the month to push for personal bests.
Some people who stand for long night prayers (taraweeh) notice that it adds movement to the evening, and diabetes guidelines count it as part of daily activity. On those nights, a shorter walk may be enough.
How hard should you walk?
- Choose a pace at which you can still talk in full sentences, but would find it hard to sing.
- Walk in the shade, indoors or in a shopping centre on hot days.
- If walking is hard on your knees or back, low-impact cardio such as cycling or chair exercise works too.
- Keep strength training light and do it after iftar, when you have eaten and can drink.
- Stop and sit down if you feel dizzy, shaky or unwell, and follow your doctor’s plan for low blood sugar.
Our walking for weight loss guide has a step-by-step walking plan you can pick up again after the month.
Late meals and short nights: protecting your sleep
Ramadan nights are short: a late iftar, night prayers, family visits and an alarm before dawn can leave you with far less sleep than usual. A study that followed people through the month found more daytime sleepiness while they fasted, and tired people find it harder to choose filling food and to keep walking.
- Go to bed as soon as you can after the evening’s prayers and visits, even if it is earlier than others.
- Take a short nap in the afternoon if your day allows it.
- Keep the last meal of the evening light, so heartburn does not keep you awake.
- Avoid large amounts of strong tea or coffee late in the evening.
Our pages on eating late at night and sleep, stress and mental health explain how meal timing and rest affect hunger.
After Ramadan and Eid: keeping the weight off
Weight lost during Ramadan often returns within a few weeks, because eating patterns change again overnight. Eid celebrations, family visits and trays of sweets come right after a month of smaller meals.
Enjoy Eid fully. The celebration days are special, and one or two days of festive food do not undo a month. What matters is what you do in the weeks after.
A calm first week back
- Go back to three regular meals, with breakfast at a fixed time.
- Keep the suhoor habits that worked: protein and fibre at breakfast, water with every meal.
- Keep your evening walk, now at a time that suits your normal day.
- Give away or freeze extra Eid sweets instead of finishing them over two weeks.
- Weigh yourself once, at the end of the week, if that helps you.
For the Eid meals themselves, our tips for festive meals and parties work for any celebration. If weight has crept back over the weeks, weight regain explains why and what helps, and weight loss habits shows how to turn the good Ramadan routines into everyday ones.
Talk to your doctor first before you start a new eating or walking plan, and ask again after Ramadan if your medicines were changed for the month. This page gives general information, not personal medical advice.
Free help to lose weight with good food and walking
Obesity Foundation helps you lose weight with good food, suitable exercise and walking, in Ramadan and in every other month. Everything we offer is free, and you choose what you use.
- A free eating plan with ordinary food that you can arrange around suhoor and iftar. Request your free eating plan.
- Free workout videos in three levels, Start, Build and Strong, that you can do at home after iftar. Get the free workout videos.
- A free video meeting (in English) with one of our volunteers, to plan your month or the weeks after Eid. Book a free video meeting.
- A free Club account to log your walks and workouts and keep going after Ramadan. Join the Obesity Foundation Club.
Pick one thing for the coming Ramadan: a suhoor with protein, two dates and soup at iftar, or a walk after the evening meal. Small steps, repeated through the month, carry on long after it.
Frequently asked questions
Should I skip suhoor to lose more weight in Ramadan?
No. Skipping suhoor makes the fasting hours longer and harder, and you are more likely to eat quickly and too much at iftar. A small suhoor with protein, fibre and water, such as eggs with wholegrain bread or yoghurt with oats, usually helps weight loss more than skipping it. If you have diabetes, ask your doctor how suhoor fits with your medicines.
Why do some people gain weight in Ramadan even though they fast all day?
Because the evening can make up for the whole day and more. Large iftars, fried snacks, sweets with syrup, sweet drinks and late-night eating add up quickly, while many people move less and sleep less during the month. A balanced plate, smaller portions of the rich dishes and a daily walk usually prevent this.
How many dates should I eat at iftar if I want to lose weight?
Two or three dates are a sensible amount to break the fast, followed by water and then soup or a meal. Dates are nutritious and have fibre, but they are rich in natural sugar, so a whole bowl adds a lot of calories. Diabetes guidelines for Ramadan also suggest keeping to two or three.
Does checking my blood sugar break the fast?
International diabetes guidelines for Ramadan say that a finger-prick blood sugar test does not break the fast, and they describe the opposite belief as a common misconception. Regular checks are an important part of fasting safely with diabetes. For questions about the religious side, ask your imam or a scholar you trust.
Can I take my medicines while fasting in Ramadan?
Many medicines can be moved to suhoor and iftar, but some need a different dose or a different type during the month. Ask your doctor or pharmacist six to eight weeks before Ramadan, and bring a full list of what you take. Never change or stop a medicine yourself because you plan to fast.
Is it safe to do strength training during Ramadan?
Light strength training is usually fine for healthy people when it is done after iftar, when you have eaten and can drink. Exercise feels harder while fasting, so lower the weights or the number of sets and focus on keeping your routine rather than on progress. With diabetes or heart problems, ask your doctor first.
Sources
- Jahrami HA, Alsibai J, Clark CCT, Faris MAE – A systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression of the impact of diurnal intermittent fasting during Ramadan on body weight in healthy subjects aged 16 years and above, Eur J Nutr (2020)
- Kul S, Savaş E, Öztürk ZA, Karadağ G – Does Ramadan fasting alter body weight and blood lipids and fasting blood glucose in a healthy population? A meta-analysis, J Relig Health (2014)
- Geçgil Demir E et al. – Nutritional, sleep, physical activity, and quality-of-life changes during Ramadan fasting: a prospective comparative study, Front Nutr (2026)
- Hassanein M, Afandi B, Yakoob Ahmedani M et al. – Diabetes and Ramadan: practical guidelines 2021 (IDF-DAR), Diabetes Res Clin Pract (2022)
- Beshyah SA – Evolution of the risk concept and assessment tools for diabetes during Ramadan fasting: a narrative review, World J Diabetes (2025)
- Zainudin SB, Yeoh E – Preparing Muslims with diabetes mellitus for Ramadan fasting in Singapore: a clinical approach and review of current practice, Singapore Med J (2022)
- Ibrahim M, Davies MJ, Ahmad E et al. – Recommendations for management of diabetes during Ramadan: update 2020, applying the principles of the ADA/EASD consensus, BMJ Open Diabetes Res Care (2020)
- Bin Abdulrahman KA et al. – The effect of fasting Ramadan on type 2 diabetes: a narrative review and practice update, J Family Med Prim Care (2026)
- Kamrul-Hasan ABM et al. – Risk stratification using the 2021 IDF-DAR risk calculator and fasting experience of Bangladeshi subjects with type 2 diabetes in Ramadan: the DAR-BAN study, J Clin Transl Endocrinol (2023)
- Ong JHA, Trabelsi K, Ammar A et al. – Exercise training in the fasted state during the month of Ramadan: acutely ergolytic but possibly chronically ergogenic? A narrative review, Sports Med Open (2026)
- US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service – USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Legacy Release (2018)