Rob Donker
Health and Fitness Personal Trainer
Is it possible to fast and stay fit?
Of course, it’s possible to fast and stay fit. We just have to be a bit smarter about when we are training and how intensely we are training. There is absolutely no reason though to sacrifice your fitness levels during the fasting season.
What’s something people fasting should be wary of?
The biggest problem with exercise during fasting is hydration, apart from breathing (which we can only last without for three minutes), hydration is the second most important element for our body. We can survive for around three weeks without food, but only three days without water. Exercise will cause you to perspire so you will be losing water while you’re training. In addition, we live in a country where it gets incredibly hot in the summer which also draw a lot of water out of us in the form of sweat. This is why it’s imperative that you sufficiently drink water during the hours of the night in order to stay hydrated through the day.
When fasting when is the best time for a work out?
Like with most things in health and fitness, there is never a one explanation fits all. Different people have different ways of operating that works best for them. Some people prefer to exercise immediately before breaking their fast so when they finish they will be immediately able to eat and drink water. Others prefer to have a light meal and stock up on water then exercise one or two hours after. To be honest the second option seems to be a better one simply because you are rehydrated and you can replenish some glycogen stores (energy to make muscles move) so you are more likely to have a better performance.
What is the one important food or fruit or vegetable one should be eating after they break their fast?
To be honest there isn’t specifically a magic fruit or vegetable that will help more. However, fruit and vegetables which are high in water content are always good as they help to rehydrate. It’s important to get a good balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins to get a sustained amount of energy that will help you to get a good workout in after Iftar. There are a few healthy food spots you can use including Heat Cafe on Jumeirah road. You could also potentially look at using a healthy food delivery provider such as MySixPak. Or lastly, if you always buy takeaway you could download Plotos which is an app that allows you to order from only healthy restaurants or to only order healthy options from restaurants.
What healthy food spots would you recommend in Dubai for people to check out for a clean and light way to break their fast?