How to keep fit during Ramadan

By Saania Zafar, May 22 2019—

Ramadan is a month in which Muslims take time to self-reflect and pray. During this month, Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset. During the day, they are not able to eat or drink anything. That includes water, so it can be hard to fit exercise into a daily schedule.

Still, Ramadan is a time of year where maintaining one’s fitness can be done through low intensity workouts that can be easy to incorporate at various times of the day.

Exercising during Ramadan can often be difficult since the lack of food and water can cause a person to feel tired and unmotivated. The biggest changes I make with regard to exercise is the time of day that I exercise. The best times to incorporate physical activity into the day would be before suhoor (the pre-fast meal), shortly before breaking the fast and after breaking the fast.

The types of exercises I do during Ramadan are also adjusted during periods of fasting. I find that it is better to do low-intensity activities and maintain my fitness rather than trying to push myself with higher-intensity activities.

One activity that can be easily incorporated into a daily Ramadan routine is yoga before suhoor. It allows me to have time to self-reflect, regulate my breathing and work on keeping the muscle strength I built prior to Ramadan. Another easy-to-do activity during Ramadan is to go for a daily walks or light jog. I usually do this shortly before breaking my fast, since it’s a fun way to pass time while also taking care of my physical health.

After breaking my fast, I choose to do more moderate-intensity exercises. These would include going for a short run or lifting weights. I’m allowed to drink water as needed and I’m able to eat as much as I want after exercising, so it’s best to save those more strenuous activities for when there is food and drink available.