Exercise Bio-hack for Ramadan

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 are a must!

Here is an easy chart for you to follow and choose the best times to work out as per your fitness level and lifestyle. Analyse yourself before you get started. a good routine can show benefit according to your body type and body composition. The 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.

Coach Marina is the creator of The Health food Co. and marinafarook.com. She coaches global women to biohack their fitness and learn sustainable ways to become strong, healthy, and happy. She gives daily news, tips and inspiration on instagram @wondermama_