Ramadan Preparation.

[saul01]

Firstly, I would like to point out that these are just my own personal thoughts and by no mean any set guidelines.

So it’s just over a month away and Muslim’s all around the world will be observing the month of Ramadan. It is about that time of the year where I start thinking about Ramadan and my spiritual & Running action plan.

My personal thought on sustaining my running during this month is to welcome it, embrace it, treat it as a friend rather than a foe… It just means that we have to look at the runs in a different manner. One of those manners is the readiness and planning involved in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Simple adjustments leading up to Ramadan. Diet: Look at reducing your portions slightly and gradually. Evaluate what you are eating, how will it help me later in the following month? High Protein, low starch. A suggestion would be to fast a few times between now and the beginning of Ramadan, preferably on a run day. Like they say nothing better than a good test drive!!

Prepare a menu of your first 10 days, do your grocery shopping according to the list. This is where you will start to think smarter and wiser. Yes, the traditional breakfast/s are heavy and will fill you. However, they're not exactly healthy and it don’t really help, neither are they healthy for your budget!!!

My breakfast could be…. Chick peas, scrambled egg, toast, and porridge. This has all the right nutrients to last the day. Slower breaking carbs, protein, vitamins, etc. However, opening my fast, predominantly by a glass of water & dates and a bowl of home fruit salad, followed by small bowl of salad, mix veg and grilled meat or fish. End result is a balanced meal high in fibre and protein.

My general pattern is sustaining foods during the day and repairers in the evening. Mix it up, jazz it up. Whatever floats your boat, make it healthy and make it happen to remain engaged.

Exercise time: When do I run? Always in the evening and generally between 7-8pm. It’s towards the end of the fast, which gives me just enough time to run 5K and then shower up and open my fast. I have now been running during Ramadan for the past three years and seem to find it easier every year. This year there may even be a visit to the gym for some strength exercises, but that's a tbc.

I will still go out three times a week with the aim to run 5K no matter what…

Please search in google “fasted cardio”... to find out the benefit of exercising during Ramadan.

What’s my aim this Ramadan? To get rid of this Tyre belly, what’s yours????

[Anitacstrong Graduate]

I'm amazed at your will power. I'm always humbled by muslims and others who fast. I have no will power to diet which is why I've started the c25k program (plus to get fitter obviously) but I take my hat off to you and other runners who are not only running but fasting too! Well done.

[saul01 Graduate in reply to Anitacstrong]

Thank you. After a while you get used to them. . I find that that the run also distracts me from the fast itself and again you get that personal "me" time.

[ancientrunner Graduate]

I wish you luck. It sounds as though you are well prepared for the extra demands.

[saul01 Graduate in reply to ancientrunner]

Thank you.

[Anniemurph Graduate]

Sounds like a well-balanced plan. There have been a few others on here over the years who have written about running during Ramadan as well. I like your preparation though, and of course the 'me' time gives you extra time to contemplate.