Ramadan nutrition can be very daunting when it comes to staying in line with your weight loss goal. There are a few of considerations before deciding on how to approach this period of fasting, training and nutrition.
Identify your weight loss goal i.e. how much to lose. This has to be the biggest consideration as it will affect the direction of your nutrition and training, both if paired well will give amazing results during this period.
Example
Training recommendation: 4 - 5 days a week
Cardio
30 - 45mins Steady State “65-70% of MAX Heart Rate” i.e. Jog / Incline Walk / Cross Trainer / Stairmaster
2 times a week - Just before Iftar
Strength Training
45 - 60mins
2 - 3 times a week - After Iftar (consume at least 1 full meal 45 - 60mins prior)
Focus more on “Compound Movements” i.e. squat / deadlift / bench press / shoulder press etc
Training split could include:
2 days - Anterior (chest, shoulders, biceps, quads, abs) and Posterior (back, glutes, hamstrings and calves)
3 days - Push (chest, shoulders, triceps), Pull (back, bicep) and Legs (glutes, quads and hamstrings)
Nutrition recommendation:
Iftar: Dates & Whey Protein
Meal 1: Complex Carbs, Lean Protein, Healthy Fat and Vegetables / Salad
Meal 2: Simple Carbs, Lean Protein and Vegetables / Salad
Meal 3: Lean Protein and Lots of Vegetables / Salad
Suhoor: Oats, Eggs, Casein / Greek Yogurt / Cottage Cheese and Whey Protein
Water - Around 2.5 - 3 litres between Iftar and Suhoor, hydration is key
Portions have to be in moderation to ensure you are staying in the caloric deficit needed for fat loss, if you can calorie count even better. Check out blog title “Weight Loss Calculation” for detailed calculations for weight loss.