4 Workout Tips During Ramadan
"Want some tips on how to continue your workout during Ramadan? "
Working out during Ramadan is not actually as hard as it seems. With proper planning of your exercise regime, not only will you be able to challenge your mental strength and self-control, you will also be able to gain various positive effects for your health and body as you exercise and fast simultaneously. Let us share with you tips on how to create an effective training regime that will help you keep fit and healthy for this Ramadan season!
Ramadan is a time for Muslims to learn how to develop spiritually and deepen their relationship with God by fasting from dawn to dusk. Muslims are encouraged to exercise patience, perseverance, and discipline by continuing to perform their daily activities they have taken up before Ramadan, during this period.
Daily activities such as exercise are extremely important to be included in the lifestyle of a person fasting. This is because exercise can help to maintain muscle mass and bone density, improve blood circulation, boost metabolism, and reduce stress levels. Additionally, regular exercise during Ramadan can help improve sleep quality and provide a sense of achievement, which can contribute to overall mental health and happiness. Hence, by incorporating exercise into your daily routine, you can maintain your physical and mental health. Want to find out how to do so? Continue reading as we explore the 4 tips to working out during Ramadan!
4 Workout Tips for Ramadan Season
1. Weave an exercise plan based on your eating schedule
The timing of your physical activity taking place during Ramadan will be a significant alteration in your training regimen. Since food is a body’s fuel, weaving an exercise plan based on your eating schedule is essential to avoid insufficient consumption of food that might not only hinder your performance, but may also lead to dangerous implications like dizziness, nausea, and low blood pressure. Hence, it is crucial to schedule your workouts for when you can best replenish your nutrition and rehydrate yourself optimally.
Before Suhoor, just before (Iftar) Buka, and after Taraweeh are three times during the day that we suggest are potential training times for the Ramadan season.
Before Suhoor
Training before your morning meal might be the most optimal time if you are a morning person because you will have time to replenish your protein and nutrient levels immediately after a strenuous workout, before you start fasting. The only downside is that you would need to be able to wake up earlier (around 3 to 4am) and sacrifice some sleep.
Just before (Iftar) Buka
When choosing to exercise right before breaking their fast, most people choose low-intensity exercises rather than HIIT/weight training. This is because after a full day of fasting, one's hydration and carbohydrate levels tend to go very low, which causes a lack of energy to make the most of your workout. If you exercise at a light to moderate level, your body will be able to sustain the entire duration of the activity and prevent you from feeling thirsty.
After Taraweeh
Studies show that it is recommended to wait 1 or 2 hours after a meal before beginning an intense workout. There will be more time for you to digest the meal you have consumed during Iftar if you choose to workout after Taraweeh prayers. Do remember to drink plenty of water during Iftar as well to replenish the water you have lost before you commence your workout.
2. Strategically plan your workouts
The timing of your workouts are crucial, but so is the intensity of each workout, which dictates when you should perform it. You should take note of how challenging each of your workouts are before carefully planning your training program. To assist you in determining the degree of intensity of the workout you have selected, the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) chart seen below can be used.
Activities which obtain a RPE of 4 or lower are acceptably advised to be executed while fasting and hence, can be completed just before the breaking of fast (Iftar). Such activities include walking, cycling, swimming, yoga, and pilates. On the other hand, activities with a higher RPE of 6 and above should be executed during the feeding window to ensure that your body has some glycogen stores to tap into to fuel your workout.
These activities are inclusive of strength training and rigorous cardio, and can be done before Suhoor or after Taraweeh prayers. Structuring the exercises you perform based on these RPE levels can help you achieve an exercise regime that conserves your energy for the rest of the day and allow you to perform optimally for each training.
3. Remember to eat smart
Those who exercise while fasting must make sure they have consumed enough macronutrients to sustain them not only throughout their workout, but for the entire fast as well. The degree of difficulty makes it imperative to properly plan your meals and snacks around fasting and your training schedule if you choose to exercise on an empty stomach.
Your food intake should consist 20-30% of complete proteins, 40-60% of complex carbohydrates and 10-15% of healthy fats to keep you fuelled and sustained throughout the day. Effective post-workout refuelling will aid in muscle regeneration and glycogen and protein synthesis to make you stronger. In general, dietary patterns should be balanced, limiting foods high in fat, sodium, and sugar, and avoiding processed food because they will make you feel bloated and lethargic.
Finally, it is crucial to maintain hydration. You may be wondering, “How can I stay hydrated when I'm fasting?”. As long as they are ingested during the feeding window between sunset and morning, drinking plenty of water and other electrolyte-rich fluids such as coconut water and isotonic drinks, before and/or after your workout is highly advised to keep your body hydrated and reduce the risk of dehydration and fatigue.
4. Prioritise your rest and recovery
As like all other exercise regimes, including adequate rest and recovery is essential to ensuring that your body can recover properly between workouts. Get enough sleep, practice relaxation techniques, and limit stimulants like caffeine are the 3 approaches to prioritise rest and recovery. By doing all of these, you can maximise your ability to recover during fasting.
It is normal for you to feel as though you have less energy and are unable to workout as hard or perform as effectively as you once could during Ramadan. Hence, it is not necessarily seen as a period of time to break personal records or push yourself to the limit, but more of maintaining your present (modified) training regime and persevering through it all whilst fasting.
Training during the fasting season might seem daunting, and is both physically and mentally demanding, but planning out an efficient and practical schedule will help you get through this challenging period. Take advantage of this time to develop self-control and discipline because Ramadan is a period when Muslims all across the world encourage these virtues.
In developing a consistent plan, it is essential to monitor your body and listen to it closely. If you feel unwell during the days of working out, take a step back to address the issue and re-plan your programme. There is no right or wrong to creating a workout regime because it all comes down to making a plan that works for you. To further motivate you, exercising while fasting can even lead to the burning of 20-30% more fat due to the reduction of our bodies’ reliance on carbohydrates as fuel, and may actually keep our brain, neuro-motors and muscle fibres biologically young!
Still need an extra hand with planning an effective training regime for this Ramadan season? At FITLUC, our dedicated Personal Trainers will be there to guide you every single step of the way during and even after Ramadan. From customising a training programme tailored to your individual preferences, to regular goal settings and revisions, exercise form correction and diet monitoring, Personal Training can make achieving your fitness goals easy and stress-free! Just leave it to us. All you need to do is show up!
As the fasting season has commenced, there is no time to waste! Contact us to immediately find out how to start training more efficiently and practically, by dropping us a WhatsApp message at +65 8812 0110 or booking a personal training trial with one of our dedicated trainers to explore if personal training is the best choice for you!
Just a heads-up, it will probably be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made.
FITLUC wishes you Ramadan Mubarak and Berpuasa!
About FITLUC
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