You’ve probably heard conflicting opinions from professionals about whether or not you should be exercising during fasting hours and chances are you think it is a hard no, or a full blown yes. The truth is, it is not so black and white and what works for some may not work for you.
When looking at the human body, hydration plays an important role in how our bodies perform during exercise. In order to avoid any cramping in the muscles, dizziness or lightheadedness, one should always make sure they are hydrated enough beforehand. To make sure you are hydrated enough, you should look for signs of dehydration such as dry skin or mouth, thirst, nausea, or even a headache.
Since food is our source of fuel, it is normal to have less energy when you are fasting, especially if you are not used to fasting long hours. For that reason, light to moderate exercise while fasting is generally well tolerated and acceptable. However, it is important to note that you should not be working out in hot weather while fasting, as this will just exhaust you even further. All high intensity exercise should be limited and resumed only 1-2 hours after breaking your fast. Simple exercises that you can do while fasting include low intensity cardio, walking, yoga and some strength training exercises on your mat at home! Below are some of the many exercises you can continue to do during your fast.
Yoga for beginners with Adriene
This at-home yoga workout is all about feeling good and listening to your body. It will leave you feeling energized but relaxed! One of the many benefits of yoga is that it helps you focus, improves flexibility and boosts immunity which are all great advantages to have during these times.
Low Impact Interval Training (LIIT) Cardio Workout
This workout is considered a low-medium intensity workout, but the great thing is that it can be done in the comfort of your own home. If you are new to exercise in general, or consider yourself a beginner definitely do try to push this workout closest to the time before you break your fast. For example, if you plan on breaking your fast at 7 pm, try to do this workout at 5:30-6 pm, that way you are not pushing your body too hard and are nourishing it closely after. If you do choose to wait, this can be completed after you break your fast as well.
These stretches are ideal as a cooling off technique after each workout, however they can be amazing in really getting your blood flowing in the morning and giving you some energy. They promote both relaxation, flexibility and the best part? It only takes 7 minutes of your time. No excuses! This is amazing to incorporate in your everyday life.
Strength training is recommended by the World Health Organization to be performed at least 2-3 times a week, as it has many health benefits including managing chronic diseases, lowering cancer risk and protecting bone health and muscle mass. In this video, you are shown a few at home strength training exercises that require no weights. However, if you are more advanced and would like to incorporate weights, that should depend solely on your level of exercise before fasting. These exercises are safe and effective for the average person.
Exercise while fasting is very personal and studies are now coming out proving that athletes have better results when exercising in a fasted state. This is still very much a debatable topic and different people yield different results so your mileage may vary.
For the average person, high intensity exercise is unnecessary during fasting hours as this can cause problematic symptoms. Therefore, the smartest thing to do is to engage in soul healthy workouts such as yoga, stretching or even LIIT during your fast and leave the higher intensity workouts for after you get your fuel. Always remember to replenish your body stores after you deplete them doing any sort of exercise by eating a balanced meal afterwards charged with an adequate amount of protein and carbohydrates.
Featured Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
