KUWAIT: With the start of the holy month of Ramadan, many people try to seize this opportunity to practice various types of sports before iftar to maintain their physical fitness and reduce their weight. The pre-iftar period is the best time for light exercise and taking advantage of the condition of the body at the time of fasting, which is in a state of readiness to burn more fat while devoting the post-iftar period to worship, performing prayer and exchanging family and social visits during this blessed month. The spacious, state-of-the-art, air-conditioned retail complexes are seen these days filled with people of both sexes and families wishing to take advantage of the pre-iftar period to improve their health.
Sports clubs and some places for walking in residential areas and on the beaches are also crowded with men, women and young people who walk to keep fit. A number of citizens expressed their keenness to exercise, especially walking before iftar, to make the most of body fat burning during fasting. Saad Al-Khimaili said that he exercises twice a day in Ramadan; one before iftar and the other after breaking fast, in addition to practicing other types of heavy sports in the post-iftar period. He added walking more than an hour a day during the fasting period can cause unwanted side effects for some people. Meanwhile, Fahd Al-Fahd and Abdulrahman Al-Saleh said they would prefer fast walking during the pre-iftar period in one of the air-conditioned commercial complexes to avoid the hot weather outside and because of the period during which the fat burning rate increases in the body of the fasting person.
As for the doctors' opinion on the issue of exercise during the pre-iftar period, head of the Kuwaiti Obesity Association Dr Yousef Bouabas said that walking is one of the best sports in Ramadan, especially during the pre-iftar time for healthy people in general and type 2 diabetes patients. The practice of walking during the pre-iftar period is good for increased fat burning more than any other time, he added. At the same time, he warned against walking in broad daylight and be exposed to hot sun, which could cause complications and difficulties due to fatigue. He advised diabetics and patients with kidney problems or those who feel very tired to do their sport activities before iftar to exercise after iftar to avoid complications that may lead to health problems. - KUNA