Ramadan no excuse not to workout say Dubai fitness experts

Dubai: Ramadan is no excuse not to workout, say fitness experts who are fasting as well.

Marwa Mustafa Al Shikhah, Group Exercise Manager at Fitness First, who is originally from Syria and also pregnant and in her second trimester vouches for this.

She said her pregnancy or the fact that she is fasting during Ramadan whilst carrying her third child has not deterred her from getting a workout in every day.

“Fasting is a great way to treat your body for a detox,” she said. “It also helps break some old habits like coffee addiction, smoking, gives you stamina and mental strength. Added to this, a fitness workout can refresh your mind and body during fasting and I would recommend this to everyone.”

Al Shikhah gives online workouts and shares nutrition facts for those fasting during Ramadan. “There is nothing wrong in getting a good workout done whilst fasting,” she added. “It keeps your mind positive and healthy.”

She added that pregnancy has also not deterred her from working out while fasting.

“But of course consult a doctor before doing so,” she advised.

Syeda Bushra Ali, a freelance fitness instructor originally from Pakistan, takes classes at fitness centres and said including a fitness routine during Ramadan can be a struggle in the beginning. “The first day I tried it, it was hard because my circadian rhythm (body cycle) was trying to get used to the new routine, but as you keep at it, your body gets used to it,” she added.

“The biggest concern about fasting during summer is keeping up with hydration levels. Include lots of fruits and vegetables as they are a great source of water. Remember around a fifth of your daily fluid intake comes from the food you eat,” added Ali.

“Have water rich fruits and vegetables like cucumber, tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, melon, broccoli, sprouts, oranges, apples, and blueberries. Breaking fast with some fluid and carbs is good. For those who crave sweets and chocolates, you can indulge in them but make sure you drink a lot of milk with it,” she said.

“As far as training during fasting goes, I would recommend people to focus on light intensity training before Iftar. If you are a late sleeper you can opt for a high intensity interval training (HIIT) workout after a small meal at Iftar.”

Ukranian expat Victoria Antonyk, a personal trainer and group exercise instructor recommends the following workouts