Ramadan exercise plan: 45 minutes x 3 days a week

Dubai: Ramadan is not the time to hit your personal best or lift maximum weight at the gym.

It’s a time to maintain your muscle mass, strength and the results you have already achieved.

Chris Beavers (right), personal trainer at Ultimate Performance Dubai, recommends incorporating effective whole body strength training, three times a week to keep stress levels down and to maintain strength and muscle mass during Ramadan.

“Get in and out of the gym in under one hour — preferably aim for 45 minutes of hard and intense workout,” he said.

For those fasting with a goal of muscle building, their Ramadan workouts should be focused more on preventing atrophy to maintain muscle mass, rather than “muscle-blasting hypertrophy” sessions, explained Beavers.

“Don’t be afraid to lower your volume and make your workouts shorter,” he said, pointing out it is the little choices in our daily routine that make the biggest difference.

“Take the stairs, walk around the mall, do 45 minutes of weights. These will all maintain your metabolism and all important muscle mass,” said Beavers.

He emphasised that the 30-day period of fasting during Ramadan “doesn’t have to mean denting your progress, losing your gains and going off track with your diet”.

For those with fat loss, muscle building or even improving general fitness goals, strength training is highly recommended.

“Weight training will provide the body with a stimulus that signals to keep muscle. The term ‘use it or lose it’ is very applicable. The best split would be full body, this will ensure each muscle get a boost of muscle protein synthesis after each gym visit,” explained Beavers.

For lazy and tired days, it would be better to opt for machines to minimise the risk of injury from complex movements, and to get in and out of the gym safely.

However, the key goal is to ensure your exercise routine is at a level you can recover from adequately, particularly during Ramadan.

“You need a plan for nutrition, training and recovery … During the month of fasting, your body is likely to be under increased stress and therefore choosing to add exercise stress to your routine needs to be done intelligently,” said Beavers.

Also read: What a dietician eats in the day during Ramadan?

Describing exercise plans as a customised “prescription,” he pointed out each individual who is fasting is impacted differently by factors such as exercise history, nutrient intake, sleep, work and other lifestyle commitments.

However, having the right nutrients to help recovery after training is essential.

“Recovery is needed for the muscles to fully repair after each session. Naps during the day will help the recovery process and could be used,” said Beavers.

It is best to have high-fibre, protein-rich food for iftar and suhour.

Focusing on optimising nutrition with smart planning and sensible food choices can also help ensure preservation of progress.

Avoid low-nutrient ‘beige’ foods such as cakes, breads, cereals, crackers and biscuits as well as heavily processed meat, dairy or fast food, advised Beavers.

“These foods are excessively high in calories yet offer very little nutritional value, in addition to containing lots of preservatives, additives and cheap oils containing bad trans-fats,” he said.

He pointed out that with time restrictions on food, it is important not to fill up on empty calories and foods that contain toxins.

He also recommends trying to consume 1.6-2.2gm/kg body weight of protein between iftar and suhour from lean meats, eggs, fish and dairy.

“Eat real (unprocessed) foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy produce, fruit, vegetables, nuts, seeds, healthy fats and herbs. Eat plenty of mono-unsaturated fats such avocados, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds, as well as coconut oil, grass-fed butter or ghee,” added Beavers.

Dubai: If you’re worried about following your exercise routine throughout Ramadan, make sure you sleep, eat and drink right.

Maintaining a healthy and balanced diet, staying hydrated, and sleeping for reasonable hours will prevent you from losing momentum when it comes to maintaining physical activity during the fasting month.

Sara Al Mahayni, clinical dietician at Valiant Clinic, advises those who are fasting during Ramadan to exercise two to three hours after iftar or before suhour.

“It’s not recommended to exercise during the fast due to high risk of dehydration, fatigue and fainting in some cases. If you prefer to exercise before iftar, you can aim for 30-60 minutes before iftar in order to be able to replace the fluids lost at the end of the exercise,” explained Al Mahayni.

While all types of exercise are beneficial during Ramadan, she advises people not to start an exercise plan they are not used to but rather continue what they were doing before Ramadan.

Eating a healthy and well-balanced meal for iftar impacts energy levels, making exercising a few hours later much easier.

Al Mahayni recommends breaking a fast with two to three dates, which is the equivalent to one fruit.

“Dates are a natural source of energy that provide potassium, copper, magnesium, and fibre,” she said.

For your iftar meal, make sure you keep a balance between starches, lean protein, and vegetables by starting your meal with a salad or soup.

“Make sure to avoid fried foods, high fat and high sugary items such as baked goods, sweets and dishes with creamy sauces,” said Al Mahayni.

Consuming a large quantity of fatty foods in one meal after a long fast will make exercising difficult due to “increased risk of fatigue, ingestion, and sleepiness”.

Al Mahayni emphasised including complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, oats, and quinoa along with a good source of lean protein such as chicken and fish in iftar meals.

“This will help manage blood glucose and keep a person feeling full for longer, while ensuring they have enough energy to train,” she said.

To achieve the same results during the day, make sure your suhour meal is consumed as late as possible. “Aim for high fibre/protein sources that are low in salt to avoid thirst such as oatmeal with low fat milk and berries, boiled eggs with whole wheat bread and vegetables,” said Al Mahayni.

It is also advised to have a light pre-workout snack such as a fruit or yoghurt half an hour before exercising.

However, for people performing moderate to high intensity exercise, they can continue to do so during Ramadan given that they drink enough water after their training, and can add a sports drink to help them replenish their water and electrolyte losses. The must also focus on consuming enough protein and carbohydrates as a post-workout snack, explained Al Mahayni.

She pointed out it’s important to replenish the glycogen (glucose storage) in the liver and muscles by consuming a post-workout snack 30 to 60 minutes after training.

“The enzymes will be mostly active during this time and this will protect them from feeling fatigued and hungry in the hours following their training,” she said.

Water also remains the preferred beverage for those performing light and moderate intensity exercises such as yoga. Depending on a person’s weight, height, age, exercise level, and medical history, it is advisable to consult a doctor or dietician to help estimate your daily need.

“Avoid high calorie/sugar beverages, and a high intake of caffeinated beverages such as coffee and tea, and make sure to keep drinking water between meals,” said Al Mahayni.