Training and nutrition during Ramadan

Ramadan starts tomorrow (22 March), a window of fasting that also tends to mean a time of calorie restriction. That’s why training and nutrition during Ramadan can be such a challenge, as you need to make some pretty big adjustments to your regular routine and diet.

From the limited daily intake of all your essential nutrients, to the sub-optimal recovery conditions, there is a lot to consider, which is why I’ve put together some suggestions and tips on how you can adjust things.

Focus on nutrition

It goes without saying that a balanced, healthy diet is important for maintaining good health - and that’s even more critical during Ramadan.

Meal timing is going to be less important nutritionally if you’re hitting your daily calorie and nutrient needs, so during Suhoor aim for a balanced meal that will set you up for the day and which contains protein, fibre, carbs, healthy fats and micronutrients. Protein and fibre will help keep you feeling fuller for longer, and fats will help slow down the rate of gastric emptying, also helping you to feel full. Go for complex carbs like oats for slow-release sustained energy.

With plenty of fried and highly palatable foods on offer, coupled with high hunger and low energy levels, it can be very easy to overeat during Iftar. Focus on protein, vegetables and fruits, and complex carbs first, before moving on to fried foods if you wish. It’ll be much easier to manage your food intake that way. Dates are commonly eaten to break the fast. They’re traditional and nutritious and provide quick-release energy that will bring blood sugar levels back up, and pack a decent bit of fibre too.

Adjust your training plan

Ramadan is often a time of lower energy levels, so its important that your training load reflects that. As it’s going to be harder to recover, I’d encourage you to consider reducing the number of days you train and the length and intensity of your workouts, or cutting down your overall mileage if you’re a regular runner. This will help reduce stress on your body so it can still perform, recover and adapt while you’re not fuelling as regularly. Trial, error and compromise is going to be key.

What time you train will largely depend on you - some people find they get more from a session if they train closer to Suhoor as they feel more energised. However, others may find this dehydrates them early in the day and negatively impacts energy levels, so training closer to Iftar may be more beneficial as it isn’t too long before they can rehydrate and recover. In an idea world, training between Suhoor and Iftar would be the best of both worlds but the logistics of achieving that with a busy work schedule and minimal sleep might make that impractical for most.

Hydrate

Hydration is also key during Ramadan, especially before and after our workouts so ensure you drink enough during Suhoor and Iftar to keep yourself properly hydrated. High water-content foods are also a good idea - things like soups, fruit, vegetables and smoothies. Adding an electrolyte tablet or stick to water will also help retain the fluids that your drinking - and remember to sip your water rather than just downing it.

Prioritise sleep

Sleep is essential for recovery so you should be aiming to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night to keep your body in shape and allow you muscles to recover from exercise. But this is going to be challenging during Ramadan because you’re getting up earlier and going to bed later, so your circadian rhythm is likely to be disrupted.  

Try to maintain a consistent bedtime routine during the month if you can, so you’re going to bed and waking up at the same times, but you might also want to schedule in a daily nap. There is positive research on the impact of naps on wellbeing during Ramadan, with 45-minute naps yielding greater benefits than 25-minute naps. However, with 45-minute naps, some people mind experience sleep inertia - that weird feeling when you wake up mid-sleep-cycle in a dazed and groggy state. Trial and error is going to be key again.

Listen to your body

During Ramadan, your body may feel energetic and fatigued at strange times so its important to listen to what its telling you. If you feel tired and sluggish, drop the intensity or volume of your workouts or runs, or even take an extra rest day. And it goes without saying that you need to stop if you feel lightheaded or dizzy at any point during a training session.

Following Ramadan, don’t jump up your training straight away - ease yourself back into your regular routine over a few weeks.