Keeping fit, healthy during Ramadaan
DURING Ramadaan, Muslims don’t eat from dawn to dusk, and many find they lose strength and muscle mass as they have no energy to exercise.
Some are attracted to the delicious food when breaking the fast (iftar) while others feel if they don’t eat enough at dawn (suhr), they won’t be able to perform.
Wellness and fitness trainer Washington Mngomezulu has urged people to keep up their exercise regime and watch what they eat during this time.
Mngomzeulu, the chief executive of Accelerat2fitnes at Kings Park High Performance Centre offers Muslims a few tips on eating well and keeping fit during Ramadaan:
Ensure maximum nutrient uptake with low carbohydrates, high fats and high proteins.
When you are able to, drink lots of fluids and water.
Limit exercises to four days a week at the most.
Diabetics should monitor their glucose levels while training.
Exercise at a low to moderate intensity for a maximum of 45 minutes, focusing on aerobic and strength training.
People who have high blood pressure should exercise at low intensity, about 60% of their maximum heart rate.
Intermittent exercises such as action soccer or cricket after sunset and evening prayer is a good way to maintain physical activity and fitness.
Muslims who want to weight train,should do it after taraweeh (evening) prayers when they have water and food in their body.
If this is too late then the next best time to weight train is about an hour after iftar before taraweeh prayer – for about 30 minutes.
Cardio intervals are best for dropping fat and maximising time. Twenty-minute workouts can be broken down into five minutes of walking, five of jogging, 30 seconds of sprints and 30 seconds of walking, repeated 10 times. Ensure a good full-body stretch before and after a workout.
The best time to do cardio for maximum fat loss is before suhur and the next best is 30 to 45 minutes after a “light” iftar.
Short, high-intensity cardio like sprinting is great to do. It takes less than 20 minutes and burns fat and preserves lean muscle.
After breaking the fast, take a walk for a moderate cardio workout.
Muslims shouldn't assume that because they're not eating, they're losing weight; the body stores fat during this time.