How often should you work out?
Appleton says: “If you are completely new to exercise, 30 minutes of walking per day is a good starting point and equates to around 4,000 to 5,000 steps. Once you have established the regular daily habit of walking, you can look to build this up towards 10,000 to 12,500 steps per day.””
“A sensible training frequency is 3 training sessions per week for most people, which will allow for ample recovery time.”
CARDIO OR WEIGHTS — WHAT’S A BETTER OPTION DURING RAMADAN?
If your goal is to lose weight, improve your body composition and optimise your health, says Appleton, cardio can be a good tool to increase energy expenditure, but the main focus should be weight training, especially because it will help minimise your risk of muscle loss.
Walking is a good option. “Walking is a gentle and low-intensity form of exercise that will minimise stress on your body,” says Appleton.
Appleton says that “Ramadan can also be a good time to pick some new exercises to work on and include in your programme. Normally, learning new exercises can be frustrating as you have to lift lighter weights while you perfect the technique. But Ramadan can be the perfect time for this – starting light, focusing on technique and still feeling like you’re making progress.”
DO YOU HAVE TO GO TO A GYM?
No. There are plenty of workouts you can do at home to get fit. Here’s an example of a house-bound training session, as given by Vukovic :
4 sets of push-ups: 2 wider and 2 inside 15 reps each
4 sets of dips on the bed
4 sets of jumping jacks 20 reps each time Chair squats 20 (sit on the chair and stand up). Do the reps slowly to keep the tension up
4 sets of reverse lounges 12 reps each Crunches 3 sets of 20
Back raises 4 sets of 20
And now, let’s head to the table. What’s on your plate determines your energy and nutrition levels – both of which oscillate through a fasting day. Here’s how you can take advantage of the peaks to make progress. But first, what are some of the common mistakes that may lead to weight gain rather than loss during Ramadan? Yasmine Haddad, Clinical Dietitian at myPediaclinic, DHCC, explains the need for naps during this period. “Not getting enough sleep could increase your appetite and increases fatigue. You can opt for 30 minutes nap,” she says.
Farah Hillou, Nutritionist at The Chiron Clinic, adds: “Over-eating, eating quickly, as well as choosing foods and beverages high in sugar in addition to deep-fried foods can contribute to weight gain. Eating frequently and at inconsistent times from the minute fast is broken to suhour time can also lead to weight gain.”
Alkilani adds: “Don’t drink your calories! Avoid juices, sodas, and other sugary drinks, replace them with water.”