Soon Ramadan starts for more than a billion people in the world and many of them are workout enthusiasts. Here are some ways to observe Ramadan without compromising your fitness goals!
1. Don’t Stop Working Out
The first and most important tip comes right at the beginning: don’t stop working out. Your body maintains muscle mass as long as it feels it’s needed. When you stop exercising, it will slowly build back what it feels is unnecessary luggage costing extra energy. Even though you may not make gains in muscle mass during Ramadan, you can at least preserve what you have if you keep your schedule up.
2. Adjust Intensity
In your regular schedule you are able to do huge amounts of weight when you do bench presses. You can handle 90lbs curls without batting an eye. But if you usually do your workouts in the late afternoons and then try the same intensity during Ramadan it won’t work. On a typical Ramadan day you have fasted for eight to 10 hours and a busy day is behind you. Under those circumstances pulling off your usual intensity is very hard to do. There is nothing wrong with you here: your carbohydrate reserves are depleted and carbohydrates are what let you work out intensely. So go a bit lower with your intensity.
What you want to do is either adjust the weights you are using or the number of reps. If you want to stay with the weights you normally train with, do fewer repetitions and lower the weight. If you want to lower the weight right from the beginning, then pick one that under the circumstances of the fast allows you a maximum of 12 – 15 reps.
3. Protein Timing
If you normally follow the rule of having several small doses of protein over the day, you of course can’t do that during Ramadan. But if you manage to have a meal in the mornings, before fajr and of course the larger ones in the evening and have some protein in both, you will at least somewhat made up for it. Protein in food is absorbed much slower than protein from powders and will stay with you for quite a bit of time.
4. Carbohydrates in the Morning
Another reason for a morning meal is that you can not only have some protein at that time, but also carbohydrates. And as carbs let you work out with intensity, as we said above, loading up some of them in the mornings should counter a lack of carbs during the day. If you are used to having a pre-workout meal, this won’t make up entirely for it, but it should help tide you over.
5. Adjust Workout Times
This should work especially well if you can adjust to having your workouts within a couple of hours of this morning meal, as your carbohydrate reserves will then be quite high. If your workouts take place after a long day of fasting, you might feel rather drained.
6. Workout When it Feels Best
However, many people of course can’t simply go and do their workouts when they would be most beneficial, especially during Ramadan. A bit of flexibility might help: Instead of doing your workouts during your normal times, do them when you have time and feel energetic. A workout done when you feel you have the energy and can do it with intensity is better than a workout you squeeze in and do hurriedly, just because in theory your energy reserves would be better.
7. Get Enough Fluids
When talking about nutrition, we also shouldn’t forget about getting enough fluids. However, during Ramadan you can’t drink when you are thirsty. Therefore Ramadan is one of the few times where the advice is to load up on fluids pre-emptively, before thirst takes place. Especially for us living in hot climates this is rather important; even more so, when you want to do a workout during the day.
8. Don’t Go All Out in The Evenings
Strangely enough, despite Ramadan being a month of fasting, a good number of Muslims actually gain weight during that month. Because as part of the spirit of Ramadan, large spreads are served in the evenings and more than makes up for what was lacking during the day. Of course, it’s rather easy to overeat when you went without food for 10, 12 or even 14 hours, but do exercise some self-control. In the evenings, get that protein we talked about, but keep an eye on the calories you consume.
9. Ramadan Is Tougher In Summer
Finally, don’t forget that Ramadan is more difficult to follow in summer than winter, because during summer daylight lasts much longer, you will have less time to eat and drink and also get less sleep. Therefore, during the years where Ramadan takes place during summer, as this year, be prepared that you may not be able to put out the same workout performances you get when Ramadan takes place in winter.
10. For Those Who Don’t Fast During Ramadan
Please remember that many people around you are devout to their faith and Ramadan is a great test for them and their families to continue what may be a regular work and life routine for you. We encourage everyone to be more vigilant of our habits of eating, drinking, smoking and of course the level of expectation we have from those that are observing their fast. Actually the month of Ramadan is a great opportunity for many to reflect on their own habits and use the time to optimize their routines
During the Holy Month of Ramadan, The Cycle Bistro will offer paleo take-away meals from 2:00 p.m. and will be joining in on the evening Iftar with dinner after sundown until 10:00 p.m. daily. For more information visit www.thecyclehub.com.
Words By: Sam Sayadan
