#360fit: How to stay active during Ramadan

Jay Asser 05:28 10/06/2016
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  • Yoga is one way to remain in training.

    Maintaining your fitness or even beginning your regimen during Ramadan isn’t as counterproductive as it sounds. The holy month does bring with it challenges for working out, but staying fit is entirely possible if you adjust your methods of exercising and eating.

    Fitness First Middle East has you covered this Ramadan with tips from fitness manager Trevor Flowers and nutritionist Banin Shahine, putting you on the path to a healthier fasting period.

    “During Ramadan, it’s very important to work out because you need to move, especially since people feel their energy is low and they cannot move,” said Shahine. “Working out is very important to maintaining energy in the body. Especially for people who want to gain flexibility and lose weight, it’s very important.”

    According to Flowers, the ideal time for a workout is during the one-and-a-half hour window before iftar. There are many benefits to being active during that time-frame, including taking your mind off your appetite, motivating yourself with food right around the corner and being able to refuel when you’re finished.

    Alternatively, you can break up your workout by doing 30 minutes before your fast ends and reenergising with water and dates, followed by another 30 minutes. Remember to keep your intensity level light to moderate so you don’t exhaust your body.

    Exercises like yoga, pilates and light cardio work well to keep you active without being too strenuous. Variation is also necessary to ensure your body doesn’t stagnate.

    If you’re doing cardio training, do a combination of bodyweight stay active in ramadan exercises and equipment-based exercises. Resistance training works wonders as well, so try to attend a Bodypump, XFIT or TUFF (The Ultimate Fitness Firster) class before or after iftar.

    Working out, however, is always just half the battle and nutrition plays even more of a crucial role during Ramadan.

    Shahine recommends three to five small, frequent meals after breaking your fast, including iftar and suhoor. Depending on what your fitness goals are – losing weight or building muscle – two of those meals can be lighter and more akin to snacks.

    “A lot of people focus on eating one big meal and that’s it. It’s very important to eat small, frequent meals,” said Shahine. “Soup is liquid, easily digested and has a lot of nutritional value with vegetables, fiber and a lot of things we need.

    “You can also add in salad and some protein. Protein is very important to maintain muscle mass and also to help you conserve your hunger the next day.

    “If you’re goal is weight loss, your next meal will be a small meal like fruit, some nuts, and yogurt. Like a small snack.

    Healthy bites: Eating small and right between Iftar and Suhoor is key.

    Healthy bites: Eating small and right between Iftar and Suhoor is key.

    “If you’re goal is to gain more muscle, it will be another portion of protein, like meat, fish and chicken with a little bit of carbs and vegetables. Of course I recommend good carbs like quinoa, buckwheat.

    “Some people stay up all night and some people sleep. If you stay up all night, I would recommend another snack before suhoor.

    “If you are waking up for suhoor, I recommend it be like a typical breakfast with eggs, oats and granola. It’s very important to have suhoor because a lot of people skip it to sleep. Some foods and drinks to stay away from include anything overly spicy, and those containing caffeine or sugar.

    “Spicy foods will only raise your thirst, while caffeine will draw water from your body. Those are especially dangerous during Ramadan when hydration is paramount. But don’t hydrate with any liquids. Instead of resorting to sugary beverages, drink plenty of water.

    “Make sure you hydrate with water and make sure you drink two to three litres during iftar,” Shahine said. “People forget about water, but water is even better than food.”

    While nutrition is crucial, staying disciplined is easier said than done. That’s why Shahine recommends involving family to help your reach your goals.

    “Ramadan involves a lot of family gatherings and people cook a lot of food and everything is tempting,” Shahine said. “It’s family style, so it’s difficult to follow (a diet). If you want a change, it needs to be a family change, not a personal change.

    “You need the support, otherwise you won’t be able to do it.”

    But treat yourself too. Ramadan, after all, isn’t without rewarding yourself.

    “You can eat whatever you want once in a week, but do that in moderation,” Shahine said. “I always say sharing is caring.”

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