Tips on how to avoid weight gain during the month of Ramadan

Don’t Stop Working Out

Due to long hours of fasting, your body slows down your metabolism in order to use energy as efficiently as possible. Assoc. Prof. İsmet Tamer advises that if you don’t watch what, when and how much you eat, it is likely you will gain weight. He also remarked: “If people who usually maintain a healthy lifestyle by exercising don’t take the necessary precautions or follow a regular routine during Ramadan, they might do more harm than good to their body, including weight gain at the end of the month. As people are not able to eat or drink water during the day, they then binge on food, switch to a lighter workout routine, or quit exercising altogether, causing the excess energy they consume to turn into additional weight. However, if you don’t have any underlying health problems, there is no reason not to maintain your exercise routine.”

Head Out to Exercise An Hour or Two After Iftar

Assoc. Prof. İsmet Tamer, a member of the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board, points out that it’s important to pay attention to the timing of exercise due to the long hours of fasting during Ramadan. He says: “People who exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle should use their energy efficiently during the day and exercise one or two hours after iftar. This improves digestion and helps burn any excess calories that come from our traditional iftar food.”

Switch to A Shorter Exercise Routine

A member of the Herbalife Nutrition Advisory Board, Assoc. Prof. İsmet Tamer says that many print publications and broadcast outlets recommend lowering exercise duration by a third during Ramadan, adding: “Many studies suggest that the performance of both professional athletes and sports enthusiasts who reduce their exercise duration by half or who switch to a lower weight are not greatly effected and that two or three weeks after Ramadan they are able to get back to their normal routine without any adverse effects.”

Don’t Forget to Drink Plenty of Water

Assoc. Prof.Tamer underscores that regardless how much people exercise, everyone who fasts during Ramadan should drink as much water as their body needs. He reminded us that, “Fluid and electrolyte balance is vital for athletes!”. Exercising without getting a sufficient amount of fluids may lead to dehydration or muscular problems due to loss of fluids and electrolytes. You should drink fluids in a balanced way between iftar and suhoor to make sure you reach the recommended daily fluid intake.”

Client: Herbalife SA

Coverage received in: Get It Durban

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