Around two billion Muslims have begun their Ramadan celebrations, with many fasting during sunlight hours for an entire month. Abstaining from all food and drink from dusk until dawn can make working out more challenging than usual, but with the right tweaks, training doesn’t need to feel like a chore.
In fact, fasting has a number of benefits, including improved heart, brain and gut function. Many non-Muslims also join part, or all, of the Ramadan fasting for reasons relating to health or spirituality. “Ramadan is amazing for people of all different faiths and walks of life,” explains fitness influencer and personal trainer Leana Deeb, who practices fasting during the holy month each year. “It’s a way to cleanse yourself spiritually and physically, so don’t feel afraid to try it—and do it for your own reasons.”
Deeb normally works out six times a week, at a high intensity, for around 60 to 90 minutes at a time, but all of this changes during Ramadan: sessions are cut down to between 30 and 45 minutes. “My main focus is just maintaining muscle. I used to go with the intention of training as hard as I possibly could, but that doesn’t work. Even if you break your fast, eat and drink and then train, you still don’t have the same amount of energy as you usually do,” she explains. “I normally do three days focused around heavy weight lifting and three days of cardio, which can involve six-mile runs or sprinting. But during Ramadan, I don’t attempt to train like that. I’ll swap in an incline walk, the bike or the StairMaster instead of tough runs. With weight training, I lower the intensity, I increase rest periods, and I keep the reps down to around six to eight.”
What are the best times to work out?
The time of day you train while fasting can make a huge difference to your energy levels. “Normally, I get it done first thing in the morning, but during Ramadan, I switch to late evening, an hour or two after breaking my fast,” explains Deeb. This gives her time to hydrate properly and digest a solid meal before going into training. “I have tried before, after and even during fasting, and I found this is the time I have most energy.”
For those who prefer to train as soon as they have broken their fast rather than waiting a couple of hours, her advice is to keep that first meal light. “If you go straight in with a full meal, you will feel sluggish for your workout. Break the fast with a quick energy hitter like dates, fruits and a protein source like chicken, and hydrate before and during the workout. Another good option would be a protein shake.” She then advises to fuel properly after the workout with a meal of healthy protein and carbs, such as lamb and rice.
If you still want to get your workout done first thing, she notes a few challenges to navigate. “There’s very little time to fit a workout in between morning prayers and your pre-dawn meal of suhoor,” explains the Gymshark athlete, who has her own modest workout collection with the fitness retailer and also her own subscription-based fitness app, Upliftyou. “Also, if you want to train before prayer, which needs to be well before 5am, there’s the issue of finding a gym that’s open at that time, and if you want to go running outside—well, it’s very dark.” But Deeb has a solution. “Training at home before prayer will cut out travel time. You can manage a 30-minute body weight, light dumbbell or low-intensity circuit session, and that still gives you enough time to sufficiently eat and drink during suhoor, which is the last meal before the fast starts. This is such an important time to make sure you’re getting in as many nutrients as possible, so you must leave enough time to eat properly.”
And for those who want to train while they’re fasting? “I would advise against it,” says Deeb. “I’ve personally tried it, and it was the worst thing ever,” she adds matter of factly. “I felt lightheaded, and I didn’t have any energy for the rest of the day.” Still, she appreciates that for some, that might be the only time available to them to get in their daily movement. In that case, “Keep it as light as possible, maybe a short walk or some mobility work. I would advise against weights or even a full yoga session,” she notes. “And if you are training during fasting hours, you need to make sure you’ve taken in at least three litres of water before your fast starts—also try and have a nap to conserve energy.”
What to eat when breaking fast
Nutrition is very important if you are planning to train during Ramadan—it’s key to stick to predominantly healthy foods during each meal. This can be challenging, as there is a tendency to overeat in the evenings, especially as the breaking of the fast is often a family event with lots of delicious foods.
“I try to avoid eating lots of bread, which is hard because as Middle Easterners we love bread, and there’s a lot of it on offer, but I know it will make me sluggish during training,” says Deeb, who is of Palestinian-Uruguayan heritage. “I would also say: avoid processed foods, there’s no nutrients in them and they are just going to deplete your energy. Try and avoid too many sweet treats for the same reason.”
Instead, opt for nutrient-dense foods that help with maintaining muscle. Deeb suggests eating protein and complex carbs in the early morning to stave off hunger. “I would say eggs are the easiest thing for protein—add avocado for some healthy fats and then a Greek yoghurt bowl with fruits and granola. Carb up on oatmeal, overnight oats or rice pudding.”
And to break the fast: “It’s tradition to start with dates, as they give you a quick energy hit. Maybe add almond butter to them for extra taste and calories. Then just keep it super simple for the main meal; think high protein such as chicken or fish, with filling complex carbs that take longer to digest, such as sweet potato or brown rice. I also love doing a lentil soup, having lots of colourful salad, plus quinoa and chickpeas.”
Deeb recommends at least two to three litres of water during sundown. “When you break your fast, drink a full glass of water straightaway because once you eat, you’re probably not going to be drinking as much. After that, keep a water bottle on you at all times—add electrolytes if you’re not great at getting enough water.”
Supplementing with vitamins and minerals can be a quick and easy way to ensure nutrient diversity, and it can also help to promote better sleep, which can be affected during the Ramadan hours. “I like taking magnesium glycinate for recovery and sleep, and ashwagandha also helps with sleep quality,” explains Deeb. “Powders and shakes are a good way to increase your protein intake, and think about adding vitamin C and a morning greens drink if you’re not getting enough fruit and veg.”
Listen to your body and adjust your training as needed
As tiredness accumulates and energy levels drop further due to fasting and broken sleep, workouts can start to feel harder. “I definitely feel myself getting more tired towards the very end of Ramadan. At that point, it becomes about just showing up and doing what I can during sessions,” admits Deeb. “Listen to your body, reduce sets further as needed, take rest days or just go for a walk instead, but try to get in some form of movement because it does so much for your mental health and energy levels at this stage.”
Deeb also has some words of advice for those who struggle to maintain motivation and discipline. “Think of training as an act of worship—gratitude for the body you have, rather than [being] about losing weight or maintaining a certain physique,” she explains. “Don’t always think about the way that your body looks during this time—make it about health and wellness, and try not to be too hard on yourself.”
Once Ramadan is over, it’s important to slowly ease back into your normal training schedule rather than aiming for personal bests on week one. “Don’t rush straight back into high intensity; ease in with some jogging rather than running at speed, build back up to the heavy weights to avoid injury, and focus on recovery by making sure you’re eating and sleeping properly.”
This article originally appeared on Vogue.com.
