Exercise Bio-Hack for Ramadan + Chart

The golden question every ramadan is “when should I work out?”. Although the answer can be different for every person, the only secret to becoming fit in ramadan is to follow a consistent routine. With many options for you to choose from, you just have to find the one that fits seamlessly into your fitness level and lifestyle. You can Use exercise to bio-hack your body and supercharge Ramadan productivity.

Fasting is clinically shown to regenerate your body from the cell up. Fasting puts the body under mild stress, which makes our cells adapt by enhancing their ability to cope. In other words, they become strong. This process is similar to what happens when we stress our muscles and cardiovascular system during exercise. 

Through fasting (which improves insulin sensitivity), and by being leaner (which means you typically have improved insulin sensitivity than someone who is overweight and/or insulin resistant), you have the ability to utilize nutrients more efficiently, specifically protein.

Sustained fasting regimens improve memory along with executive function, and overall cognition. By the end of the second week of Ramadan, your brain is primed to perform better. 

The human body has a mechanism known as the mammalian target of rapamycin, or mTOR for short, which is the body’s primary muscle-building gene. Fasting primes the muscle-building machinery by increasing insulin sensitivity and suppressing mTOR.

You can almost think of mTOR as a spring. When it’s suppressed, it gains potential and the more it is suppressed, the more potential it gains. When mTOR is unleashed, it does its job much more powerfully.

You can also hack into your hormonal hardwiring and jump-start the muscle-building process with intense exercise (safe for your body type, off course). When you suppress mTOR, you increase the potential for efficiently building lean muscle which in turn boosts your metabolism.

And best of all, studies show that having more muscle in your body (especially legs) is associated with more synopsis in the brain and living longer. So yes, squats for ramadan is a must!

Here is an easy chart for you to follow and choose the best times to workout as per your fitness level and lifestyle. Analyse your self before you get started. a good routine can show benefit according to your body type and body composition. Our goal is to fall in love with consistent habits and carry the habits over to the remaining months of the year. 

For weight training : choose one large muscle group daily – for example legs, back, chest, or arms. Complete 3 to 4 exercise per muscle group. Focus on warm up. 

For cardio : a short bout of sprints, two minutes of kettlebell swings, or even a set or two of pull-ups are all fine examples of exercises you can do to get better results in building lean muscle.

Times to workout	Intensity & Level	Benefits	Risk	Protocol
Before Iftar	Stress on the body is intense. Requires high discipline to push through a short workout period.  Best for building a lean body.	Activates extreme fat burn since your body is in ketosis.  Primes your body to use proteins better.	Dehydration may cause injury to joints and muscles.  Dizziness and headaches post workout.	Warm up using functional warm and mobility. Keep your routine 30 mins long.  Weight training : do low reps and higher sets. Use moderate weight.
After Iftar	Best for all levels.  Beginners should start here.	Body is hydrated and ready to focus on training.  Boosted blood flow helps carry nutrients all throughout the body.	Too much carbs will cause you to have energy crash. Avoid high impact workout, which may injure delicate joints such as your knees.	Eat a high protein low carb Iftar.  exercise 1 hour post Iftar.  Keep routine 30-40 mins.  Do weights first and finish with a short burst of HIIT.
Before Sehri	OK for beginners and advanced.	Boost your oxygen intake and energy levels throughout the day.	Lack of sleep may Make you tired mid day. Practice mid day power naps to recharge your brain and energy levels.	This is a great time to get in Cardio.  Keep Sehri high protein and healthy essential fats.  Hydrate while you workout. Weight train larger muscle groups with compound exercises.
After Fajr	Beginners & Advanced must be cautious of working after Fajr.	Boost fat burn throughout the day.	Extreme thirst and tiredness post workout due to calorie burn.	Warm up and do steady cardio.  It is better not to do weight training at this time.