Doing Sports In Ramadan
Due to the changing daily life pattern with the arrival of Ramadan, doing sports, or exercising during Ramadan is very important to keep the body healthy and fit. It is known that Ramadan, which is adopted by Muslims around the world as a month of fasting, prayer, contemplation, and worship, provides many spiritual gains and some physical benefits. Since the Hijri Calendar is based, the exact date of the Month of Ramadan changes every year. The month of Ramadan, which coincides with April 02 in 2022, ends at sunset on May 02. During this period, Muslims fast between sunrise and sunset, so the exact length of the fast depends on geographical location. Therefore, the duration of fasting also varies according to the region. This also changes the hunger situation and body requirements during the day. In this article, we have compiled detailed information about doing sports in Ramadan for you.
Doing sports and Fasting in Ramadan
The concept of fasting has been embraced by many cultures and religions for centuries as a spiritual act designed to purify and heal the mind, body, and spirit. Recently, various fasting diets have become a popular mechanism for weight loss. However, there are some important differences between fasting during Ramadan and intermittent fasting. Ramadan fasting periods are determined by the sun and moon, while intermittent fasting periods are usually determined by proportions (like the 16:8 or 5:2 diet). More importantly, fasting during Ramadan means avoiding water consumption, while intermittent fasting ensures that you drink as much as needed. That is why doing sports in Ramadan is so important for body health.
Considering the situations in which fasting periods can extend up to 15-16 hours during Ramadan, health needs to eat a balanced diet during and after iftar. In this context, the most common complaint of individuals who do not have adequate, balanced, and healthy nutrition during Ramadan is abnormally gaining weight. This is primarily due to the change in metabolic rate, as well as the lack of attention to exercise during Ramadan. Doing sports and eating a balanced diet during Ramadan will always make you a fit, healthy and fit individual throughout this month and throughout your life.
Things to Consider for Doing Sports in Ramadan
If you have a certain sports routine before you start fasting, you can continue to do sports in Ramadan with a few adjustments and improvements according to your metabolism and body health. However, if you do not have a regular sports history or period before, you can get professional support and create a Ramadan sports program according to your body pattern. However, based on the information we have compiled for you here, you can create a sports order for yourself and continue this order in the future along with exercising in Ramadan. You can follow these steps to do sports and keep your body alive during Ramadan:
- Those who have just started exercising in Ramadan or individuals with high blood pressure, sugar, cholesterol, and heart diseases can perform exercises of low intensity and intensity, such as 30 – 45 minutes of light-paced walking, Pilates, and yoga three times a week.
- If you have a regular sports program, you can continue to do sports by reducing the intensity and duration of your program to do sports in Ramadan. However, by doing aerobic exercises in the morning, you can prevent your water loss from posing a health hazard.
What should be the diet while doing sports in Ramadan?
In addition to the exercises you do, while doing sports during Ramadan, nutrition is also extremely important considering the long-term hunger and thirst. For this, it is possible to list the points you need to pay attention to:
- During iftar (dinner after fasting), start lightly with soup before moving directly to the main meal. If you are suddenly loaded with heavy foods after a long period of hunger, you will have digestive problems and you will not be able to get a healthy yield from the food you eat.
- After a light liquid meal such as soup, you should take a short rest break. Otherwise, you will feel hungry all the time and consume much larger portions than you would eat at a normal meal.
- You can divide the meals you will eat in iftar into several periods, this will not cause you any difficulties while doing the exercises you will do after iftar.
Timing: Exercising in Ramadan?
Another important point that comes after doing sports and a balanced diet or is when to exercise. Depending on the metabolism of the person, exercise can be done at different times, but this will also affect the intensity, type, and duration of the exercise according to the time of exercise. For example, if you prefer to exercise before iftar, you can do it 1-2 hours before iftar. However, those who prefer to exercise after iftar are recommended to exercising in Ramadan for about 1-2 hours after finishing iftar. After a long-term hunger, exercising after the main meal causes more harm than good to the body. There is no harm in consuming light foods after exercise. However, make sure that these foods are fiber, vitamin, mineral, and protein-based foods that protect the structure, development, and health of the muscles.
You can keep your body fit in any situation by exercising regularly and eating a balanced diet at the same time. For this, you have to approach your body in the right way at the right time. You should also pay attention to your diet and sports order after Ramadan, and you should not show any slackness