With the holy month of Ramadan soon commencing, you will probably hear about how you are going to lose muscle that you’ve worked hard to gain, or put on oodles of weight because of likely low metabolism due to fasting. But fasting does not necessarily mean all of the above, if you are able to follow a good diet and workout plan efficiently. The key is to prepare yourself- if you fail to plan, you basically plan to fail!
WORKING OUT:
Let’s be honest. We cannot perform our best when we are hungry, tired and not focussed. Try not to give up working out entirely. Follow this and you should be able to set your pace for the month ahead.
- Avoid workouts during the fasting window as it can create muscle breakdown. Training while dehydrated can decrease strength drastically. And especially during summer, your body is already fighting dehydration; don’t make it worse by working out in that state.
- One of the best times to workout is after iftar, which will ensure that you are properly fueled before exercising and will allow you to consume your post workout meal after you sweat it out.
- Another equally great time to workout in Ramadan is before suhoor (for women who are unable to make time post iftar) so that you can refuel and be ready to go through the day post your exercise. If working out at suhoor have few dry fruits or dates before your workout.
- Check out our specially designed Ramadan Workout
DIET:
You may surely push yourself to do a workout, but as you already know, the diet factor plays a huge role too. So how do you manage when you have a limited eating/ drinking window?
- Firstly, ensure that you are eating the right blend of protein, carbohydrates, and essential fat. Avoid sugary drinks and sugar laden eatables as this will hinder the absorption of water in your system and leave you feeling severely dehydrated all day.
- Breaking your fast with dates and water helps in the key process of re-hydration.
- Just because you fasted all day, don’t gorge on all things junk when you break your fast. Make sure you have protein portions all through your consumption period so that you remain full longer and get this mandatory nutrient in.
- We have detailed all this in our Ramadan Special Diet Plan
SLEEP:
Your sleep schedule will be erratic and limited during this period. And as you are aware, this could well lead to decreased energy and hazy moments throughout the day.
- Right before you go to bed, a light series of stretching helps relax your body.
- Avoid waking up unnecessarily through the night; try to get QUALITY sleep, even though you may not manage quantity of it.
All said and done, listen to your body. It is ok to rest it out when you don’t feel up to it. If you don’t manage a 100% all through, despite your best efforts, don’t fret. There are 11 more months where you can work on sculpting and building your body. Just do your best.
