How to lose weight gained during Ramadan?

Festivals come with a lot of indulgence, especially in terms of food. The month of Ramadan is actually a great way to do intermittent fasting, but many can’t stop their gluttonous tummies and gorge on greasy and calorie-rich food for Iftar. All this conspires to make you gain more weight than before! As the month of Ramadan gets over, we are sure a lot of people are now wondering how to shed the extra weight they might have gained. In case, you’re looking for some weight loss tips post-Ramadan, we’ve got you covered.

Health Shots spoke to Mujtaba Kamal, a fitness expert at Cult.fit, who listed some effective weight loss tricks to shed that flab you gained during Ramadan.

Here are some useful weight loss tips you can follow:

1. Exercise

It’s a no-brainer! Get into burn mode and commit to a workout that you think you can do. Do include exercises that involve push, pull, squats, lunge, hinge, and carry movements in the overall workout routine. By focusing on exercises accompanied by these basic movement patterns, you can build the strength you desire while improving your everyday functions.

Kamal says, “A combination of resistance training and cardiovascular training while going calorie deficit (burning more calories that you are eating) would work the best for fat loss.”

However, if you are completely new to fitness, you should start with low intensity activities such as walking or yoga and gradually increase the intensity and type of the activity. This will ensure that you aren’t plunging into something your body is not ready for.”

2. Understand what losing weight means

“Let me first explain the definition of ‘weight loss’ and ‘fat loss’. While these terms are being used interchangeably, each has a different definition,” says Kamal.

Weight loss refers to a decrease in overall body weight from muscle, water, and fat. Fat loss refers to weight loss from fat, and it’s a more specific and healthier goal than weight loss alone. So, in order to become healthier, stronger and look slimmer our aim should be to maintain or increase lean muscle mass while reducing fat mass. Resistance training helps build muscle mass, and muscle tissue burns more calories.

3. Watch your diet

Post Ramadan, your diet and schedule are bound to change again. Hence, it is imperative to pay close attention to what you eat now. While everyone’s lifestyle and diet might be different, one should try to maintain a balanced diet that includes carbohydrates, good fat, and protein.

Once you wrap up Eid celebrations, it might be good to cut out refined sugar and processed foods. Focus on eating vegetables and fruits to cleanse your system and get your nutrients in order. And, if you want to shed those pounds faster, go calorie deficit! Eat fewer calories than you burn or burn more calories than you eat!

Above all, be patient with the process, follow a diet that suits your lifestyle, and give yourself time to re-adjust post Eid festivities. Enjoy the festival guilt-free if you opt for healthy food alternatives.