The routine in Ramazan is a bit confusing for those who love to exercise everyday, especially those who find it fun and feel great after a sweaty circuit. Some of us need to exercise daily because it works to prevent, improve or control certain health conditions.

In this month when religious duties, family and friends take priority, it isn’t easy to maintain fitness levels or even remain as active as your body allows, given the hot weather and daily fasting. It is interesting how in Ramazan, exercise can be less about going to the gym for a structured hour of exercise or for a run; instead, you can incorporate some physical activity into your daily life. The important thing is to make adjustments to your routine and listen to your body.

While fasting, try and maintain normal activities, catch up on sleep with short power naps, but don’t fall into the couch potato trap. One thing is for sure: any kind of intense, even moderate exercise while fasting is not for everyone unless you are a professional athlete, because of the dire risks of dehydration and low blood sugar levels.

Instead of embarking on a fried food fantasy, focus on your health in the month of fasting

It is best to train after breaking your fast and always have a bottle of water handy. The key here is to do a light iftar instead of the usual circus with fried foods. Have dates, milk, a smoothie, fruit chaat and in about an hour, get on with your exercise routine with light weights and reduced reps.

If you are a cardio person, you have to wait an hour or two after iftar. Walking instead of running for a maximum of 30 minutes is good enough. A 10-minutes burst of HIT circuit is not a bad idea.

This would include compound moves like squats, lunges, press-ups, dips and planks, which work well to give maximum impact in minimum time. This month is also good for trying to focus on other aspects of fitness like flexibility for instance. Try Yoga for flexibility, Pilates for posture and core strength or Tai Chi for focus and balance.

Any exercise that you do must be gentle and low impact. You don’t want a fatigued, crampy body the next day when there is another fast coming up. Gentle stretching, yoga asanas and Pilates can be done half a hour before iftar.

Stay out of the heat, eat healthy, focus on high protein and high water content food; fibre is a must for sehri as it keeps you filled and stores water for you.

Enjoy Ramazan!

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, June 19th, 2016