Ramadan is just around the corner now. Ramadan is the holy month in Islam during which we fast from sunrise till sunset, giving us a short window during the night to eat and drink whatever we can. For our fellow bodybuilders, the holy month of spiritual revitalization comes with a little problem, how do we continue to train and maintain our diet while fasting? Having experiment with it in my own time, let me give you some tips that will help you avoid some blunders that I made.
Nutrition
An essential point to remember is that your meal times do not really make a difference as long as you are meeting your required amount of daily nutrition. Let's say you consume 3 meals a day meal 1, meal 2 and meal 3 the best course for you is to consume 1 meal after breaking the fast and 2 before sunrise.
Most people fall under these two categories: Those who lose weight during Ramadan and those who gain weight. If you're one of those who lose weight, when breaking fast, your meal should consist of calorie dense food. During Ramadan, focus on consuming 1.5g/pound of body mass. If you fall in the latter category, focus on fibrous vegetables and lean protein before moving onto high carbs course.
Bottom line, the following should be your daily goals.
- Drink at least 2.5 liters of water everyday.
- Aim for 1.5g of protein. / pound of body mass.
- Take your vitamins, make sure your body is receiving all the required nutrients for a healthy functioning
Training
The best time to train during Ramadan is during the short window in which you can consume fluids along with training, that is after breaking fast. Depending on your time zone and working hours, you should have time to get 3 hours of sleep during the day before waking up to prepare for the Iftar. After taraweeh, hit the gym and work for an hour. Even if you have a six hour non-fasting window, you should still have a couple of hours before Suhoor (pre-fast meal).. Stuff a meal then followed by pre-fast meal itself.
In essence, you should hit the gym 2-3 times a week with low to moderate levels of intensity. To keep it short and effective, aim for compound exercises, making the most out of your time. It should be kept in mind that the purpose of Ramadan is to connect with Allah and perform religious duties, when you're working out with high intensity your body will be too exhausted to do most of those duties.
- Don't workout dehydrated. Workout when you can drink, or workout early in the morning with long rests.
- Do compound exercises.
- Don't push yourself too hard. Workout 2-3 times a week at best.
Did you find this plan helpful? Let us know in the comment section below!
