Fasting isn’t an excuse to stop physical activity. In fact, the right exercise can help you maintain stamina, improve focus, and stay fit during Ramadan. This way, you can fulfill your fast more effectively. So, what are the benefits, recommended types of exercise, and safe tips for exercising while fasting? Let’s find the answers here!
Benefits of Exercise During Fasting
During Ramadan, the body experiences changes in its biological rhythms due to changes in diet and daily activities. Therefore, exercise can help you maintain balance, stay productive, and perform your religious duties optimally. Here are some of the key benefits of exercise during fasting.
1. Keep Your Body Fit
Fasting can make the body feel weak if not balanced with appropriate physical activity. In this regard, exercise can help maintain muscle strength, maintain flexibility, and increase physical endurance, helping you stay productive and avoid fatigue during the fast.
2. Maintain Ideal Body Weight
Fasting should be a time for the body to reset its weight balance, but uncontrolled eating habits can lead to weight gain. Therefore, you need to exercise to burn calories efficiently, increase your metabolism, and prevent excess fat accumulation due to overeating during iftar and sahur.
3. Optimizes Body Metabolism
During fasting, the body’s metabolism naturally slows down to conserve energy. However, regular, measured exercise can keep the body active, burning energy, increasing metabolic efficiency, and accelerating cell recovery and tissue regeneration.
4. Maintain Focus and Concentration
Lack of food intake and changes in sleep patterns can affect focus and brain performance. However, because exercise increases blood flow to the brain, you can focus better, have better memory, and maintain emotional stability throughout the day.
5. Improve Sleep Quality
Changes in activity patterns and food consumption during Ramadan often disrupt sleep cycles and make it difficult to sleep soundly. To address this, exercise is essential. Exercise can relax the body, help regulate circadian rhythms, and increase melatonin production, a hormone that plays a role in regulating sleep quality.
Also read: The Little-Known Benefits of Fasting: Good for Your Soul, Body, and Finances!
Recommended Types of Exercise During Fasting
To reap the benefits mentioned above, it’s important to choose the right type of exercise to stay active without over-exerting your energy. Here are some recommended exercise options during Ramadan.
1. Leisurely Walk
Taking a leisurely walk is one of the best choices for keeping the body active without burdening the body during Ramadan fasting. This activity helps improve blood circulation, relieve stress, and maintain body fitness. You only need to do it 20-30 minutes before breaking the fast or after sahur.
2. Jogging
If you want a more intense workout, jogging can be a great option. Jogging at a light pace can increase stamina, maintain heart health, and speed up metabolism without straining the body. However, because this exercise requires more energy, it’s best to do it for 15–20 minutes after breaking your fast to avoid excessive fatigue.
3. Cycling
Cycling is also a great way to stay fit during Ramadan. This activity can improve endurance, strengthen muscles, and help boost metabolism without putting too much stress on your joints. Cycling for 30–45 minutes at a leisurely pace before breaking the fast can be a fun and healthy routine.
4. Yoga
If you’re looking for a fasting exercise option that focuses more on body balance and mental peace, yoga could be an ideal option. This exercise not only helps improve blood circulation and flexibility, but also reduces stress and improves sleep quality. You can start practicing 20–30 minutes before breaking the fast or after Tarawih prayers for optimal relaxation.
5. Pilates
Besides yoga, Pilates can also be a good option, especially for those looking to strengthen their core muscles. With controlled movements, Pilates helps improve posture, reduce muscle tension, and prevent injuries caused by changes in activity patterns during Ramadan. This exercise is ideal for 20–30 minutes after breaking the fast to provide the body with sufficient energy.
6. Jump Rope
If you’re looking for a more dynamic exercise, jumping rope can be an attractive alternative. This exercise can improve coordination, strengthen leg muscles, and burn calories in a short time. Although the intensity is higher, jumping rope can still be done for 5–10 minutes before breaking the fast, with breaks in between to prevent fatigue.
7. Cardio Exercise
Finally, cardio exercises like jumping jacks or burpees can be an option for those looking to maintain their fitness at a higher intensity. These exercises can help increase endurance, burn calories faster, and improve the respiratory system. To stay safe while fasting, it’s recommended to do cardio exercises for 15–20 minutes after breaking the fast.
Safe Tips for Exercising While Fasting
Exercising while fasting offers many benefits, but it must be done properly to avoid fatigue, dehydration, and health risks. Here are some important tips to keep in mind to ensure safe and optimal exercise while fasting.
1. Choose the Right Time
Exercise time during fasting must be adjusted to your body’s condition so as not to interfere with physical endurance.
The best time to exercise is before breaking the fast, about 30–60 minutes before the Maghrib call to prayer, as the body can immediately receive nutrients after exercise. Alternatively, after breaking the fast or after Tarawih prayers, when the body has already regained energy.
2. Choose the Right Type of Sport
Not all types of exercise are suitable for fasting, especially those that require a lot of energy and cause a lot of fluid loss.
Sebaiknya, pilih olahraga dengan intensitas ringan seperti yang sudah disebutkan di atas. Pilihan olahraga ini, bisa membuatmu tetap bugar tanpa menguras stamina secara berlebihan.
3. Mulai dengan Intensitas Rendah
Starting high-intensity exercise while fasting can lead to fatigue, injury, or even dizziness due to low blood sugar levels. Therefore, always start at a low intensity and increase gradually according to your body’s ability.
Don’t forget to warm up before exercising to avoid injury, and cool down afterward to help your body return to normal condition gradually.
4. Perhatikan Tanda-Tanda Dehidrasi
During fasting, the body is deprived of fluids for more than 12 hours, increasing the risk of dehydration during exercise. Some signs of dehydration to watch out for include dizziness, weakness, dry skin, increased heart rate, and decreased sweat production.
If you experience these symptoms while exercising, stop the activity immediately, rest, and make sure to drink enough fluids during breaking the fast and during the pre-dawn meal.
5. Ensure adequate food and fluid intake
Balanced nutrition is crucial for maintaining sufficient energy for daily activities—including exercise. Therefore, ensure you consume foods rich in protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats during suhoor and iftar to maintain your immune system.
Additionally, increase your water intake, avoid excessive caffeinated drinks, and add natural electrolytes such as coconut water to maintain your body’s fluid balance.
6. Adjust the duration of exercise to your body condition.
When fasting, the body may not have as much energy as usual, so it’s important to adjust the duration of your exercise. As a guide, light exercise can last for 30–45 minutes, while higher-intensity exercise should last no more than 20–30 minutes.
Listen to your body and don’t push yourself if you feel tired or show signs of dehydration.
7. Make sure you get enough rest.
Quality sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining physical fitness during fasting. Conversely, lack of sleep can lead to fatigue and reduced focus during exercise.
Therefore, try to get enough sleep by regulating your sleep patterns. If possible, take a 10-20 minute power nap between activities. According to Halodoc, this can improve concentration and restore productivity.
So, by implementing the tips above, exercising during fasting can remain safe and provide maximum benefits without compromising your immune system. However, in addition to maintaining physical health, it’s also important to ensure the financial health of your business remains stable.
To ensure everything runs smoothly, you can use the Labamu application to manage business transactions, monitor sales data, and manage stock in real time more easily and practically.
So, make sure your business stays as healthy as your body during Ramadan and download the app now via Google Play or the App Store!
