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Myths About Fitness While Fasting During Ramadan
Ramadan, the most blessed day for Muslims, is also the most cherished. Muslims around the globe come together to fast the 30 days of Ramadan. In these blessed days, they increase their worships and prayers and try to show concern for the homeless and the poor.
The reward for this struggle is as beautiful as the struggle itself. After fasting for an entire month, Muslims get to celebrate the auspicious occasion of Eid. It is a day where families, neighbors, and friends come together to enjoy and praise God for HIS blessings.
But to enjoy the month to the fullest, here are some myths you need to debunk.
Exercising in Ramadan-a waste of your time?
It is hilarious how Muslims can check all their social media websites, even the most useless ones like Instagram and Facebook, but the minute they are reminded of exercising, they start to fret. According to them, all the former activities come under 'productive ways to pass time', whereas the latter come under 'a waste of time'.
According to Islam, Muslims are not only asked to take care of their body, they are commanded to do so by the Holy Prophet. By taking care of their body and exercising regularly, Muslims can not only boost up their life, but they can also pray with more zest and fervor. The body requires our utmost care, love, and protection and the prophet's words are a testament to that. He says in one of his hadith " Verily, your body has a right over you". This is a clear indication of how exercise is not only allowed during fasting but in many instances, appreciated too.
However, many people go as far as to only fast for fitness purposes. That defeats the purpose of a fast and is condemned in Islam. So before you start exercising, make sure you do it with the right intention in mind.
Exercising in Ramadan-a danger to your body:
This is yet another misconception that exists in the minds of many Muslims. Despite reassurances from doctors and physicians, many Muslims still believe that indulging in exercise will be harmful to their bodies. Needless to say, there is hardly any truth in that claim.
Working out in the blessed month is absolutely safe and very effective, however, you have to be cautious about your timing and duration. There are around 6 appropriate times for you to indulge in meaningful exercises. Moreover, you should only do the bits that feel comfortable and convenient. The point is not to exert meaningless and undue pressure on your body. Instead, the purpose of exercising is to enhance your stamina, build up your strength and allow you to pray and worship with good energy. Here are some benefits that are associated with a quick workout session.
Another great way to make the whole process easy is to not jump into it. You can start exercising a couple of weeks before Ramadan. This will ensure that you are well-equipped to handle the stress during the blessed month.
Ramadan and the myth of exception:
Some people use Ramadan to escape all other obligations incumbent upon them. They somehow deduce that Ramazan exempts them from any physical exertion or activity. In reality, the case is quite the opposite.
Just like in any other month, exercise is extremely important in this month too. You need to understand that you are consuming a lot of greasy and oily food every day. To neutralize the effects of these foods, you need to convince yourself to indulge in at least 30 minutes of daily exercise.
If you are unable to understand the reasoning behind it, think of it this way; when Ramadan comes, you don't stop going to your work or you don't stop meeting your friends. Why should you stop doing exercise then?
Your body is the same and its needs don't change according to the months.
Ramadan- Muslims consume less calories:
In an ideal and Utopian world, Muslims around the world would have consumed relatively less food and calories, however, this is not the case in Ramadan.
Contrary to what is advised, Muslims around the world consume more food in Ramadan than they do in other months. They not only binge on snacks, fried foods, and fast food before sehri, but they also lie down the entire day, not doing anything productive. This greatly hinders their cognitive function. But more importantly, being lazy the entire day also takes away any incentive for worship.
But many people don't consume oily and greasy foods because they want to, they simply lack a suitable alternative. This is especially true for people living in South Asian countries where oil consumption is relatively high. So If you are unsure of what foods to consume, here is a list of what to consider.
Exercise will drain your energy:
Many people refrain from exercise because they think that a 30-minute workout session will drain their energies. But that is not the case.
It is scientifically proven that exercise not only enhances your metabolism but also helps keep you energetic and fresh for longer. This is also true because, during Ramadan, most people indulge in almost no exercise at all. They hardly walk, run, or even indulge in meditation or yoga. This makes indulging in exercise very important.
Most people feel very tired as soon as they are done exercising. This is because they either exercise right after sehri (morning meal) or they exercise just before iftar (evening meal). These times of the day are not recommended because they will tire your body and will make you feel agitated.
We will reiterate the importance of rightful timings. For best results, you should try exercising in the middle of the day. This is the time when you are most fresh. You neither feel too full nor too empty. However, there is no hard and fast rule to this. You can exercise any time you feel like it.
So the next time you don't feel like exercising, think about your body, mind, and soul. Your thoughts will instantly change.
