Fasting and gym visits is something a lot of gym-goers will be thinking about soon, and if you're thinking you may need to give the gym a miss during the period of Ramadan or other fasting periods, have no fear - it's still possible and actually a great time to get in better shape.
A lot of people believe that when you're fasting, you need to sit back, relax, and let your body "rest" until you get back to your regular eating habits. But hey, listen, that's not the way to do it if you want to be serious about your fitness. Whether you're intermittent fasting or simply avoiding food for medical or religious purposes, don't forgo your exercises. Staying active is *certainly important*. So, let's explore why you should still be going down the gym, even when your belly's rumbling.
Maintaining your muscle mass in balance
One of the biggest concerns about fasting is that you'll lose muscle. You've probably heard it a million times - "If you don't eat, you're gonna lose all that muscle you've worked so hard for." And here's the thing: if you keep training, your muscles are still getting the stimulus they need to stay strong. You're not going to be lifting huge weights when you're stuffed, but you can still exercise lighter and train harder. The idea is to stay active so that your body realizes not to start gnawing away at muscle mass in order to generate fuel for itself. You've built up all that muscle – don't lose it just 'cause you skipped a meal or two!
Increased fat burning
When you are fasting, your body begins to burn fat for fuel, correct? Now, put that fat-burning mechanism together with exercise. You're basically turbo-charging your fat loss. That's because when you exercise after a fast, your body more efficiently draws on stored fat for fuel. It's like adding an extra log to your fat-burning furnace so things stay burning hot. Performing something like a brisk walk, some cardiovascular activity, or even weight training will make you burn off those fat reserves quicker, and you'll be able to feel the difference when you finally break your fast.
Boosting your metabolism
It's easy to think that fasting will turn everything down, but actually, exercising every day while fasting can keep your metabolism functioning. The muscle-preserving qualities of exercise keep metabolic rate where it is or even boosts it, so when you do finally eat, your body is more efficient at processing and utilizing those nutrients. In effect, you're maintaining all cylinders on all cylinders, so when you do break your fast, your body can utilize and leverage that energy.
The mental edge
Come on – fasting can be tough on the brain. If you're not eating, it can mess with your energy and focus. But exercise regularly and it can neutralize that. It gets your endorphins up, which are like your own personal cheerleaders, leaving you feeling that "feel-good" feeling. While fasting, an exercise session will also be a blessing to get relief from hunger that will refresh your mind, give you something else to focus on and enable you to cope with the occasional anxiety that comes with fasting. And, it will rev up your energy levels even when you are running low.
What happens if you don't keep going?
This is the part which might be somewhat of a wake-up call. If you stop exercising while fasting, your body will start to lose muscle mass, and you'll see your fitness levels dwindle. And when you finally go back to the gym after months of inactivity, it's going to feel like starting all over again. You'll lose strength, stamina, and all that work you've pounded away for. And let's be honest – we don't want to have to begin all over again.
Not exercising during fasting can also have a negative impact on your metabolism, so it's harder to shed those extra pounds when you do begin eating again. It's consistency, and if you get derailed, it takes forever to get back on track.
Listen to your body
Don't get me wrong – if you are completely smashed and spent, you don't have to push yourself to doing a full-on HIIT session or deadlifting mass amounts of weight. You know your own body better than anyone else, so if it's telling you to take it easy, then do. It could be meaning do some light cardio, some light yoga, or stretching rather than heavy lifting. The key is to stay active, but not do too much. Keeping your body moving at a moderate pace will still give you those benefits, without burning you out.
Final thoughts
So, in short – don't abandon your exercise routine because you're fasting. Keep hold of some sort of activity, and you'll keep those muscles, burn fat better, boost your metabolism, and even feel better mentally. The trick is finding that balance for you, so you can keep your fitness goals in check without burning yourself out.
Keep it steady, keep it consistent, and keep at it. You won't regret it, I promise. It's all about showing up, whether fasting or not. Keep crushing it!
