People who choose to fast during Ramadan need to pay attention to their fitness regime and diet. Some people lose weight in Ramadan and all the others gain weight due to excessive eating at aftaars. It is a busy time for those who commute to work and do nine to 5 jobs.
While Ramadan may be a busy month, but it brings lots of blessings where we can pray easily without having to blame it on the routine, don’t we?
But when should fasting people work out??
The most effective time to exercise in Ramadan is right before sunset, according to the fitness experts because you can push yourself more knowing that you’re going to eat aftaar in a little while. Sometimes it does not work for people especially those who live in warmer countries with all four seasons.
Well for the Asian countries’ experts recommend exercise about one and a half-hour after aftaar. At this time, some of the food would have been digested and the body would have more energy.
Best time to exercise.
Expert says the worst time to exercise is between 1200 to 1700 because people with fasting will exhaust themselves and be totally burned out without being able to refuel. But let us say you only have that slot available then go for 20 or 30 minutes of exercise and that too with low-intensity workouts.
How long should you work out?
If fasting people decide to exercise directly before or after eating, they can encourage themselves and exercise for a longer period. It is recommended that you start off with a slow pace in the first ten days of Ramadan by only exercising for half an hour.
The first week of half-hour then as your endurance allows try forty minutes and then reach up to one hour but you need to understand your endurance.
Let us not forget that this month requires our devotion in making our spiritual connection smoother than before with God almighty. This month is all about self-reflection, self-control, and manner.
Things to avoid in Ramadan.
During Ramadan, some people just focus on cardio exercises which is understandable that you do not have enough energy because you are not eating well but this is lame as it gets. In fact, this is the opposite of what you should be doing in Ramadan.
Some People while breaking fast forget about their routine diet and they tend to eat more and overeat at aftaar table just because they think they have been hungry, and they are not eating well.
Overeating in Ramadan is a problem for the masses that should be avoided at all costs.
You should eat nature-cooked food in aftaar rather than oily and fried food. This will help you do more work out after the aftaar. After working out you can eat your dinner or refuel yourself to go through the night till sehar time.
Overeating in aftaar would make you feel heavy and slow after which you will not be able to focus much on your exercise. You may want to just lay down or watch TV but not really hitting exercise.
Less and healthy eating in aftaar is the key to exercising well throughout Ramadan.
Since it’s only one month of fasting then your goal should be to maintain yourself not pushing yourself to the limits.
Exercise tips for women in Ramadan
While men are not cooking and making food ready for aftaar while some do, women are always on their feet in the kitchen preparing food. Exercising for women is very important just like men during Ramadan. Experts recommend Low-intensity cardio for them after one hour of aftaar and brisk walk for those who feel tired after working in the kitchen with fasting.
Most women will say they are already tired with fasting and having to work in the kitchen, but they still need physical activity to burn out what they just ate in aftaar.
Final words
People who fast thorough out Ramadan and did not work out before should focus on strength training and non-rigorous cardio exercises. People who have an exercise regime previously should stick to the exercises that only maintain not push themselves further.
The same goes for women if they are not accustomed to exercising, it is better to engage in low-intensity exercises such as walks and stretches.
If you are looking to work out and maintain your body during Ramadan then feel free to visit and check out our fitness regime for people who fast during this holy month at Velocity health and fitness.