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Fasting & Programming

mahdiyusuf.com

141–150 of 180 posts

Re: Fasting & Programming

#141
post #130

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think he's saying after 2-3 weeks of intermittent fasting, not fasting for 2-3 weeks at a time intermittently. Yup, I got that and I'm challenging it.

Just making sure.

Thanks for the anecdote, by the way, very interesting.

Re: Fasting & Programming

#142
I personally can't relate to this specific religious practice however this is very similar to the feelings experienced when trying to quite smoking. The second time I tried quitting smoking I was unable to concentrate on my code which unfortunately drove me back to cigarettes for another three years. If you're a software developer it's even harder to quit (words of advice for anyone reading this that might be heading into college this coming fall)

Re: Fasting & Programming

#143

On the other hand, I find myself a lot more focused and productive in Ramadan. Knowing that I'm not supposed to eat or drink, I don't have to think every other hour what should I gulp down my stomach. This is a distraction which is a bit difficult to get rid of in normal days. Also, meal timings become strict which automatically instills disciplines. In normal routine I would adjust the meals by few hours just to get…

EXACTLY my thoughts. The reduction of snacking distractions and washroom breaks has always been a productivity boon for me in Ramadan. Nothing to do but pray and code. I love it.

Re: Fasting & Programming

#144

(Disclaimer: I'm a militant atheist now) I think I would find stopping five times a day for prayer to be a bit of a distraction, though I imagine the short bursts of meditation would be good for my concentration overall. I tended to gain weight during Ramadan, but that's probably because my family made a big deal of every iftar, inviting extended family members, eating out and having big greasy Pakistani meals almost…

> I would find stopping five times a day for prayer to be a bit of a distraction (Disclaimer: Not a muslim) I think that is exactly what the prayers are for. They remind you that the only thing that matters in this life is submitting to God and to thank Him for His blessings.

Actually they are some sort of perception deprivation, too.

Re: Fasting & Programming

#145
post #22
post #15

> Let’s just say fasting isn’t one of them. All of my co-workers; I have worked with past and present have been extremely understanding and respectful of the [month-long] fast. Also as a by-product of this kindness they have coined the term: "Ramadan code". If I were an employer, after reading this...

> If I were an employer, after reading this... There isn't much you can do; at least you can't make religious fasting the reason for your actions unless you are interested in lawsuits and tons of negative publicity. What does it take to start a new religion? What if I start a new religion which says working more than 4 hours a day is against my gods? Can employers deny me jobs? Or if they don't deny it, are they boun…

It's not that simple. There's a few standards such as the beliefs being "sincerely held" and that accommodation should not render an "unreasonable burden" on the employer. You can say these are subjective but welcome the legal system. No judge is going to let a non-Abrahamic sham religion impose strange conundrums for the employer.

People have played games with this before. Some prostitutes have tried to make their business a religion and that sex with them is a "rite" of the practice. Others have tried to make their mansions be referred to as religious buildings to avoid paying property taxes, hasn't worked.

http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/religion.cfm

Re: Fasting & Programming

#146

While the author of the linked article expiates the hit coding performance can take when fasting I have personally observed an interesting phenomena during my observation of Ramadan. Namely, I can experience moments of acute lucidity and penetrating insight into a problem at hand. Usually this occurs when I am in the midst of something that requires a good bit of effort such as tackling a thorny algorithmic conundrum…

I think probably whether you think you're abnormally better or abnormally worse at coding while fasting, you're just getting some placebo effect of whatever you're inclined to believe. I'm not sure what evidence there is that a little fast has significant effect on someone's ability one way or the other.

Re: Fasting & Programming

#147
post #33

As (a non-religious) someone who tried fasting while holding down a similar job, my advice is simple: don't break your fast every night. It only takes 24-48 hours for your body to adjust, your fat to start melting and your blood-sugar levels to stabilise. You also stop feeling hungry. I found that while I was generally a little 'light-headed' my powers of concentration were fine and I returned to full productivity. A…

I don't get hunger when I don't eat. After almost a day without eating I get headache then I feel weaker and weaker and don't even have enough energy to make myself something to eat. Then I fall asleep. Only after I wake up next day I have enough energy to make myself a meal. I'm still not hungry but reason just has the opportunity to kick in.

Re: Fasting & Programming

#148
post #57

I've been trying one of the more popular Intermittent fasting protocols -Leangains for 20 days and counting. It was uncomfortable only for the first 3 days. 16-20hr (well-hydrated) fasts ended with a heavy lifting workout and BIG meal at 'breakfast' (6pm or later for me). FAQ: http://examine.com/leangains-faq/ I love it. Increased alertness, focus, no more mid-day food comas. I'm a fat guy, so my body is probably fat…

Any figures on how your body composition has changed over that time?

Re: Fasting & Programming

#149
post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> If I were an employer, after reading this... There isn't much you can do; at least you can't make religious fasting the reason for your actions unless you are interested in lawsuits and tons of negative publicity. What does it take to start a new religion? What if I start a new religion which says working more than 4 hours a day is against my gods? Can employers deny me jobs? Or if they don't deny it, are they boun…

It's not that simple. There's a few standards such as the beliefs being "sincerely held" and that accommodation should not render an "unreasonable burden" on the employer. You can say these are subjective but welcome the legal system. No judge is going to let a non-Abrahamic sham religion impose strange conundrums for the employer. People have played games with this before. Some prostitutes have tried to make their b…

> You can say these are subjective

But they are subjective.

> No judge is going to let a non-Abrahamic sham religion impose strange conundrums for the employer.

What qualifies a religion as sham? From what I have seen, whatever complies with a religious person's belief is legit, everything else is a sham. People often love to mention scientology is a made up religion. No one ever explained to me scientology is made up as opposed to what?

Re: Fasting & Programming

#150
post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

99% of the population has more fat store than in the days when people hunted deer. The problem is that people aren't used to accessing their fat stores for energy.

> The problem is that people aren't used to accessing their fat stores for energy. It is my hypothesis that most modern fat stores are not actually energy stores, but rather "toxin" jails (I use "toxin" in the sense of: a substance that the body does not want, possibly because it is harmful, and that takes non-trivial time/effort to metabolize and/or get rid of; think of e.g. mercury). Which would explain why they ar…

> (You may laugh, but it is not inherently less plausible -- or less supported -- than the idea that fat stores are used exclusively as energy stores).

Burning fat for energy isn't an idea. As for your hypothesis, hypothesis doesn't mean making up random stuff.

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