Exercise during Ramadan [YOUR ULTIMATE GUIDE]

I hate lengthy articles full of fillers. Lemme say it right away- no, fasting won't kill your gains, brah! Provided you do it right.

Weight lifting can be hard during Ramadan, especially if it happens to fall during the peak of the summer. This post will teach you exactly what you should about Intermittent Fasting and training.

1. Fasting is GOOD FOR YOU:

Contrary to what you might have come to believe, Intermittent Fasting DOES have benefits; and more than just a few! Intermittent Fasting is not a very new concept; it has been practiced my many religious groups and sects for ages. However, it has only recently gained momentum among the fitness community, with several popular online fitness figures preaching it as a key to leading a better life- physically and mentally. Intermittent fasting involves keeping your caloric intake at little to none for a majority of the day and eating only within a specific period of time.

Here are some of the BENEFITS of fasting for majority of the day:

• Lower blood pressure.
• Reduced blood cholesterol levels.
• Once your body has used up glucose stores, it burns body-fat for energy. We all know what that means, right? Fat-loss!
• Improved Insulin Sensitivity, which creates a more anabolic environment in your body- more gains, brah!
• Gives your digestive system periodic rest and speeds up metabolism in the long run.
• Improved longevity: studies have pointed out the relationship between eating less and living longer.
• Helps control hunger and reduce sugary cravings.
• Improved mental focus and reduced brain fog- don't you want a productive start to the day?

2. Common Mistakes During Ramadan:

 Lack of planning is the biggest mistake you can do during Ramadan. Failing to plan is planning to fail. Make a plan for your diet, training, job, sleep. More errors to avoid:

• Not Training. You won’t lose much muscle & strength if you stop weight lifting during Ramadan. But you’ll tend to stick to your diet less. And this can cause more muscle/strength loss and fat gains than not lifting.
• Not Eating Healthy. Lots of people gain fat during Ramadan. The main reason for this is that a lot of the Ramadan foods are high in sugars & fats. Example: harira soup, often served with bread/dates.
• Not Eating Enough. Food is energy. If you don’t eat enough you’ll lack energy at the gym and won’t recover well. You must focus on caloric dense foods to get the most out of your feeding window.
• Not Sleeping Enough. Short nights can cause sleep deprivation. This can kill your motivation to go to the gym. Consider naps.

3. Popular Fasting Myths:

All the facts you should turn a blind eye and deaf ear to:

• Metabolism Slows Down. Studies show that fasting doesn’t decrease your metabolism.
• Muscle & Strength Loss. Fasting doesn’t cause muscle loss. You’ll most likely feel stronger & more aggressive training fasted or after your re-feed meal.
• Low Energy. You’ll have energy if you eat enough during your feeding window. 

4. When To Lift Weights During Ramadan:

Train fasted: 2 hours before you break your fast. This way you can eat several times post workout to help recovery. You also maximize your feeding window since you don’t spend it training.

OR

Train after your first re-feed meal: The sharp insulin spike after your first meal will promote more anabolic growth.

You should feel stronger and more aggressive training during this period. If you don’t, you’re not eating enough food during the re-feed. Or it’s psychological.

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5. How to Lose Fat During Ramadan:

Fasting improves fat loss. You can get away with more carbs than you would usually, without gaining fat. Tips:

• Get Stronger. Strength training prevents muscle loss. Keep lifting weights and work at getting stronger. 
• Eat Healthy. Eat whole, unprocessed foods 90% of the time. Ground round, chicken breast, tuna cans, oats, rice, pasta, bananas, eggs, …
• Drink Water. Avoid coffee & green tea: they’re diuretics. Drink water to avoid dehydration. Aim for 1 gallon between dawn & dusk.
• Avoid Junk Food. Lots of people gain weight during Ramadan because they gorge themselves with foods that aren’t healthy. Avoid.
• Avoid Cardio. You can’t drink water during the fast so cardio or HIIT is a bad idea. Stick with lifting only until Ramadan ends.

Facts sourced from: https://stronglifts.com

Happy Lifting,

Shaumik Saha

(Admin)

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/lift_fit_official

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