Author: Amal Qutub
Why This Conversation Matters
Ramadan is a time of spiritual renewal and seeking nearness to God. It’s a month centered on self-discipline, reflection, and deepening our faith. But for those who struggle with emotional eating or eating disorders, this sacred time can also bring unique challenges. Fasting, communal meals and iftars, and the shift in sleep and daily routine can stir up difficulties that we don’t always acknowledge. The more that we talk about this topic the more that we can play a role in supporting our friends and loved ones coping with this challenge during this blessed month.
The Spectrum of Disordered Eating
When we think about eating struggles, we tend to picture two extremes—either someone has an eating disorder, or they don’t. But the reality is that disordered eating exists on a spectrum. And a lot more people fall somewhere in the middle than we might realize.
Here’s what the spectrum looks like:
- Preoccupation with Food and Body Image – Constantly thinking about food, feeling guilty for eating, or fixating on weight loss.
- Disordered Eating Symptoms – Emotional eating, skipping meals, purging, or over-exercising.
- Diagnosable Eating Disorders – Conditions like anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder that seriously impact daily life and mental well-being.
Why Ramadan Can Be a Trigger (Or a Reset)
For those with disordered eating, Ramadan can either be a healing experience or a difficult one. Some of the factors that complicate the healing and recovery is that:
- It enables restriction – Fasting can validate unhealthy eating patterns for those who struggle with food control.
- Binge eating tendencies – Long fasting hours can lead to overeating at iftar.
- Social pressure – Being around family and communal meals can be stressful.
- Feelings of guilt – Those medically advised not to fast may feel ashamed.
But on the flip side, Ramadan can also be an opportunity to break free from unhealthy cycles—if we approach it with a different mindset.
How to Navigate This Ramadan in a Healthy Way
The Ramadan toolkit created by the Family & Youth Institute (https://thefyi.org/the-fyis-ramadan-toolkit/) contains valuable resources, and particularly their guide on “coping with eating disorder in Ramadan” highlights the following points:
1. Reframe Your Ramadan Goals
Instead of making Ramadan about food or weight loss, center it on taqwa—the ultimate goal of fasting. This month is about deepening your connection with God, strengthening your self-discipline, and purifying your heart. What habits can help you cultivate taqwa? Maybe it’s increasing mindfulness in worship, developing patience, or fostering gratitude for the blessings in your life.
2. Break the Stigma & Seek Support
There’s still so much misunderstanding around eating disorders in our communities. The truth is, these are serious mental health conditions, not just bad habits. If you’re struggling, getting professional help isn’t a weakness—it’s one of the most important steps toward healing and recovery.
3. Listen to Your Body
Hunger and fullness cues can get really distorted when you’ve had a complicated relationship with food. Studies show that mindful eating—paying attention to hunger cues and eating without distraction—can help regulate disordered eating patterns.
4. Curate Your Social Media
Social media plays a bigger role in our self-image than we realize. The American Psychological Association (APA) reports that exposure to unrealistic body standards online directly affects self-esteem. It’s worth asking: who am I following, and how is their content making me feel?
5. Ditch the Diet Mentality
The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics warns that extreme dieting increases the risk of eating disorders. Research published in the Journal of Eating Disorders indicates that restrictive eating behaviors can trigger binge eating episodes, creating a harmful cycle of deprivation and overconsumption (PMC4252500). Similarly, findings in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics highlight that self-imposed dieting often leads to psychological preoccupation with food and increased risk of binge eating once food becomes available (JANDOnline).
Instead, adopting a balanced approach—focusing on nourishing your body rather than depriving it—will serve you better in the long run.
If You’re Struggling, You’re Not Alone
One of the biggest barriers to healing is delaying getting help. A study in the International Journal of Eating Disorders found that on average, people wait seven years before seeking treatment.
What you can do:
- Talk to your doctor about what you’re experiencing.
- Find a therapist who specializes in eating disorders.
- Confide in someone you trust to help you get the support you need.
- Access Resources by National Eating Disorder Information Centre https://nedic.ca/
Ramadan Should Be a Time of Healing
Ramadan is about reconnecting—with faith, with ourselves, and with our well-being. It shouldn’t be about battling guilt over food or obsessing over numbers on a scale. Whether it’s shifting our mindset, getting professional help, or just taking small steps toward healing, there are ways to navigate this month with self-compassion, and extend this empathy and compassion to those around us too..If you or someone you know is struggling, just know: you are not alone, and recovery is possible. It all starts with taking that first step.