All The Benefits Of Working Out While Fasting And How To Do It!

Working Out While Fasting

Undoubtedly, all the twelve months comprising the Islamic calendar hold veneration for the Muslims the world over. Yet, the month of Ramadan enjoys a key position in the Islamic faith. It is the most sacred of all Islamic months and its sanctity is duly observed by the believers far and wide.

Ramadan requires the fasting individual to abstain from all types of food and drink. Thus, it calls for special measures to be adopted to ensure that health is maintained without depletion of body energy. In the course of the holy month, people in our eastern societies tend to go reckless with respect to their physical wellness. As a remedy, working out while fasting with specially designed techniques can pay off dividends. If performed in a prescribed and guided manner, there is no reason why you wouldn’t end up happy as a lark.

The benefits Ramadan has in store for us

The benefits Ramadan offers to the faithful are plenty. There is a multitude of favorable aspects that perfectly associate with the holy fasting month. There are quite a few tips for Ramadan that ensure a healthy and religious experience Let’s define some of the major benefits below:

Working Out While Fasting

Source: The Independent

  • Physical aspect

Fasting helps in weight loss, improves insulin sensitivity, speeds up the metabolism, and promotes longevity in life span. Believe it or not, the less you eat the better your chances of living longer and healthier. Furthermore, fasting improves appetite, routine eating patterns, brain function, and body immune system and casts various other positive effects. It preserves the muscles and finally lowers your blood cholesterol level.

  • Spiritual Aspect

During Ramadan, feelings for doing virtue and good deeds are at their peak among Muslims. Therefore, they prefer to observe fast and prayers besides making charity and dealing with generosity. Ramadan calls for self-discipline, self-control self-restraint, self-education, and self-evaluation. Fasting is a means of developing the ability to contradict sensual desires. In Ramadan, people refrain from immorality, wrath, whining, and all illegal activities.

  • Social aspect

In the month of Ramadan, the passion for unity and brotherhood is higher than in other months of the year. People gather in the mosque five times a day and develop social relationships with neighbors and people living in their vicinity. In addition to that, people organize Iftaar and sehri parties for friends and members of families. As a result, people attain closeness, bear off misunderstanding and try to pardon each other’s faults.

  • Commercial aspect

Usually, in all Muslim countries, overall commercial activities turn slow. However, the business of necessities of life like fruits and vegetables, groceries, clothing, shoes, jewelry, and cosmetics are in full swing. The business of eatables and drinkables goes hits its climax as Iftaar parties are being arranged in mosques, hotels, offices, and homes. All in all, there is a noticeable net boost in the economic sector of the nation.

During Ramadan, working out is a “nay” or “yay”?

It is a point to ponder over for many Muslims each year. Should they really be exercising and working out while fasting during Ramadan? Working out on an empty stomach, in the absence of food and water during scorching summers is no less a daunting task. In order to better cope with fasting, it is urged to maintain light physical activity which proves to be quite healthy. Shoot to your local gym, go for a jog, or try something out at home. These are all great ways to stay physically fit during Ramadan.

Working Out While Fasting

Source: Al Arabiya English

The nutritionists and dietitians of our times have done a great job. Via years of hard research and thorough studies, the food and diet specialists have come up with specific exercises designed for Ramadan. The ideas and inspiration for maintaining a workout routine while you’re fasting find a place beneath:

  • Try to train directly before or after Iftaar, although the post-Iftaar session is more powerful.
  • Avoid super-intense cardio workout on empty stomach.
  • Take longer rest spells between sets as your body will not be working at full capacity.
  • Lighten the weight and increase the number of repetitions to adapt to the situation.
  • Elevate your intake of complex carbohydrates so that your body has adequate glucose reserves.
  • Keep your pre-workout meal (Iftaar) light and easily digestible, comprising protein, simple carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
  • During Ramadan, your objective should be exercising for maintenance, not gains.
  • If possible, take a sunset swim right before Iftaar as a cure for dehydration.
  • You may engage yourself in team sports that are timed to Iftaar.
  • As a Ramadan routine, you may walk to and from the mosque in the morning and evening.
  • Start working out prior to Iftaar, break the fast with something light, and keep working out thereafter.
Working Out While Fasting

Source: thenational.ae

Working out while fasting in an evaluated & healthy way

We are here to certify that it is perfectly fine to maintain an evaluated workout during Ramadan. Experts hold the opinion that light to a moderate exercise program while fasting caters to wellbeing. Below we present some quick facts with respect to workout during Ramadan. This would help with maintaining your fitness routine during this holy month.

  • First, you should understand your goal and be realistic in approach.
  • You should aim for the minimum workout to maintain lean muscle tissue, i.e. 2 to 3 times weekly.
  • You should go for 30 to 45 minutes of workout duration per session.
  • Your Ramadan workout should be about 50% less intense than your normal workout outside of Ramadan.
  • Training when your body is in starvation and dehydration can diminish strength and muscle mass significantly. Thus, the best times to work out are either after Iftaar, after Taraweeh prayers, or before sehri.

And of course, make sure your exercise does not impact the main focus of Ramadan. In the end, the prime focus of Ramadan is spiritual development, so nothing should divert you away from that.

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