Top Dubai Fitness Trainers’ Guide on How to Exercise During Ramadan

Published: March 30, 2022

One of the most important steps in any fitness journey is making sure your body gets enough fuel. Whether you are trying to lose weight or build muscles, you’ll need your daily drink and food intake to support your workouts. However, exercising during the holy month of Ramadan can be pretty challenging since the fasting period is between sunrise and sunset. You might struggle to balance fueling your body with everything it needs and is used to. Our experts are always here for you at DubaiPT and have prepared some useful tips and tricks on how to work out during this time. The type of exercises you choose will depend on your goals and needs at the time. Don’t disrupt your routine and give up exercising yet, and make sure to continue reading Dubai fitness trainers’ guide on how to exercise during Ramadan. We have answered all the important questions you have right now, so let’s get started.

Should you work out during Ramadan?

If you want to work out during Ramadan, then absolutely yes! One month is a long time to stop exercising and it can disrupt everything you have accomplished so far. One of the most essential things is to listen to your body and to learn how your body feels during this time. Exercising while being hungry can lead to low blood pressure and sugar, causing nausea and fainting. Going slowly and lowering intensity is something you need to have in mind when starting. If you want to continue working out, then stick to the following tips:

• don’t overdo it and always plan your workouts in advance;
• stop when you don’t feel well and have a break as long as you need;
• include energy-rich food from fitness meal plans Dubai nutritionists prepared for you;
• plan your workouts around your meals to avoid feeling light-headedness.

Find a time to workout that works best for you

If you are working out in the gym, you will probably go to one that is open 24 hours. This way you will be flexible in changing your workout plans around your meals. If you are working from home, you can try doing exercises at different times of the day. This way you will see which one works the best for you. Remember that every person is different so don’t compare yourself to others. If you feel like you need to have a good meal after finishing your workout then maybe you should exercise in the late afternoon. However, if you feel like you need to eat first, then choose mornings when you will have the most energy. You can always hire an affordable personal trainer in Dubai and ask for help. Some people prefer to have their session after Iftar. You will make sure that your body has enough fuel and energy to finish the training. Sleep is the key factor here as it controls your body’s recovery.

What kind of exercises can you choose?

There are many different exercises that you can opt for during Ramadan. Additionally, you can always consult with a female bodybuilder personal trainer that you can hire during this challenging time. You may want to walk, jog, or simply do yoga and everything is acceptable as long as it fits your needs. If you want to keep building your muscles during Ramadan, we recommend limiting cardio workouts to only twice a week. Light walking during the day will save your energy for late hours when you have broken your fast. If you are a beginner, and not used to exercising, make sure to engage in light activities or pause for a while. Martial arts will give you a chance to work out at your own pace and has high-intensity and low-intensity movements that you can combine. It is very important to discover what works best for your body, as every person is different.

Make sure to stay hydrated between Iftar and Suhoor

Something you need to look out for during this time is a lack of water. If you exercise and you feel like you don’t have enough strength and you struggle, it is possible that you are dehydrated. Between breaking the fast and starting a new one, always drink water and keep a water bottle by your side. Additionally, if you are following the healthy meal plans Dubai nutritionists gave you, make sure to include in your diet fruits and vegetables that are rich in fluid. Some of this food can be watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, oranges, etc. Do not replace food with water, and make sure to balance with both.

Strength workouts are possible with proper food intake

A lot of people avoid cardio exercises and strength training because they feel like they will be too tired after them. Of course, your body will need time to adapt and with consistency, you will create a routine you can follow for the entire month. With such training, you will need to consume meals with a lot of calories. Ideally, with this training, you should train 2 hours after your Iftar meal. As for the bodyweight, combined with walking, they are great if you want to beat tiredness, which is very common during Ramadan. You don’t have to strictly follow Dubai fitness trainers’ guide on how to exercise during Ramadan, but make sure to support your exercise routine with these tips.

Avoid heavy foods and overeating

This time of the year can be challenging but eating healthy is important. Do not overeat and try to compensate for all the calories you have lost during the day. Be patient and eat everything you would usually eat outside the holy month. Something that you can include in your diet is carbohydrates that are slow to break down and will give you more energy. For example: sweet potatoes, rice, quinoa, lentils, etc. You can always check the low carb meal plan Dubai experts created for you at this time. Dates are usually consumed to break the fast since they contain a lot of potassium that your muscles will need. The food you would need to avoid is heavy, salty, and fried food. This food will make it difficult for you to lose weight and stay on track with working out.

Don’t be afraid to take a few steps back and rest

It can be quite difficult to slow down and add more rest days if you have your established workout routine. However, don’t be afraid to take a few steps back and moderate your intensity by 25-35%. You can still exercise but maybe focus on low-moderate exercises and continue to stay on track with your fitness journey. You will still see progress, adding a few rest days will not disrupt your routine. This is not the time of the year to push your limits. You can maybe exercise one day and then add two days for rest. Always start slowly and on the days when you just don’t feel like working out incorporate some light exercises like skipping and jogging.

Exercises for a beginner level during Ramadan

If you are a beginner and you started your fitness journey, don’t let this stop you. You may also continue exercising following the Dubai fitness trainers’ guide on how to exercise during Ramadan. What we recommend for beginners are NEAT movements, i.e. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis. This means that you will be able to burn calories if you are on your weight loss journey with simple activities. This can include standing or simply walking. Did you know that while standing you can burn up to 50 calories per hour? When walking you can burn more by targeting yourself with around 10,000 steps a day. The fasting period during Ramadan is perfect for burning fat and make sure to include these in your daily routine.

LISS cardio exercises are perfect for intermediate fitness lovers

Have you ever heard of Low-Intensity Steady State exercises? This includes running and cycling for people with a little bit more experience in working out. It is quite feasible to burn fat before breaking the fast of Iftar. You can simply engage in these exercises for 30 or 40 minutes or opt for jogging outside or hitting the treadmill in the gym. What we recommend and always mention is to start slow and know your limits. If you are just starting out half an hour will be enough for you on your very first day, and later on, you can build it up to 60 minutes. Remember, the harder your body is working, the higher your heart rate, so be careful.

High-Intensity Interval Training for advanced workouts

With such training, you will burn more calories than with LISS and NEAT. Typically, this training should last 10 to 30 minutes due to its intensity, especially during Ramadan. The benefits are that it can burn a lot of calories in a short period of time and your metabolic rate will be higher for hours Additionally, you can gain muscles and improve oxygen consumption. All this is combined with Dubai Paleo Diet Meal Plan in Dubai that you will strictly follow. Here are some examples of exercises:

• if you have a stationary bike, pedal as hard as you can for 30 seconds and then at pace for 4 minutes (repeat for 15 minutes),
• after jogging, sprint for 15 seconds, then continue jogging for 2 minutes (repeat 10 minutes),
• start with squat jumps for 60 seconds and then walk a little bit (repeat this 20 minutes).

How to stay on track with your sleep schedule during Ramadan?

Sleep is crucial for maintaining your health, speeding your recovery, especially during your fitness journey. When fasting during Ramadan, your sleep is much more important in order to balance everything and reduce stress from your body. What we recommend is to try and get at least 7-9 hours of good sleep. It may be difficult during the holy month, so splitting this schedule into two passes can work as well. Try sleeping for 4 hours after Iftar and before Suhoor, and go back to sleep again for a couple of more hours. Routine is crucial, so it would be best if you could get adjusted to this new sleeping schedule.

Take supplements when fasting and exercising

Besides your weight loss diets plan that you have been following as well your lifestyle changes, supplements can aid as well. Magnesium can help you out during fasting and promote sleep since you will be struggling with quality sleep. Include whey protein in your meals since it is easily digestible and can help you with the protein intake you need daily. For your immune system, we recommend chocotrients which is a chocolate powder filled with nutrients and quite delicious as well. Include them in your daily meals and fuel your body with everything it needs.

Key guidelines you should follow to stay healthy and fit during Ramadan

The Dubai fitness trainers’ guide on how to exercise during Ramadan ensures your progress even during this holy month and fasting. Following these guidelines, you will continue your fitness routine, learn more about your body and it’s limits. Every individual has different needs and don’t forget to ask for help and rest when needed.  Some things that you also need to remember are:

• Always plan ahead your meals and workout training.
• Make sure you consume foods that are helping with your fat loss goal.
• Make sure you are hydrated every day.
• Try to stay active almost every day and if not increase your breaks if needed.
• Ask for help from a professional trainer or nutritionist.