The holy month of Ramzan is the best time to detox your mind, body and soul, and since this year Ramazan has graced us with its presence in extremely hot weather, all we need is a little bit of exercise to burn that excess fat.
We got in touch with fitness trainer Mantahaa Tareen and asked her how to work out and eat well during the holy month. “Fasting not only helps you detox the toxins from your body, but it also gives your body the time to use fat as fuel. Usually the body mechanism works in such a way that it reaches for carbohydrates in the body to burn fuel and calories,” she explained.
During Ramzan the carbohydrate intake is low in bodies , so it’s the best time to burn fat only if we eat the right things and avoid  picking on fried items at iftar time.
“I would rather suggest you to eat fried vegetables, as they are low in carbs and high in fiber. Yogurt is ideal. Increase your intake of magnesium, potassium and calcium as this is what’s going to nourish your body. Coconut water is another thing I would highly recommend. For sehri, have fruits like watermelon, peaches, and eat lots of  berries; they are excellent anti-oxidants.â€
Mantaha also tells us how and when to exercise, as it’s nearly impossible to hit the gym during fasting hours.
“Coming to your exercise regime, a 45-minute workout is more than enough. You need to give your body a cardio boost of 30 seconds and then come back to strength. Repeat this at least twice. Make sure you are doing more strength, because strength is actually sculpting and toning your body. By strength and resistance I don’t mean that you pickup weights of 8 or 10 kg, you can even do it with 2-3 kg. The right technique is what matters more. Yoga is excellent; it gives your body flexibility. You may divide your workout plan in Ramazan; strength, cardio and yoga.”
So there you have it folks, go on lose that extra weight, feel great and don’t forget to hydrate!
