Keeping up with fitness while fasting

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- For Muslims, the month of Ramadan is coming to end soon and that means the period of fasting will be over.

Some are sharing their tricks for "fitness while fasting" so others are prepared in the future.

Fitness instructor Alicia Debruhl still has tons of energy while leading her cardio tone class inside Watts Fitness Studio in West Kensington.

But during the month of Ramadan, she scales herself back.

"I will imitate a move for them to do, mock a move and then I mostly walk around a class and like pump them up, amp em on," she said.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar - a time for more prayers, charity work and fasting sun-up to sun-down.

"It's about 16 to 17 hours in the summer time," said Alicia.

Kenya Martin, a nurse a practitioner, says she never discourages fitness but reminds others the fast is only for healthy people and with exercise, you must take precautions.

"This is not the month to hit your personal best in the gym," she warns. "If you are running 3 to 4 times a week, I'd scale that back a bit to one to two times a week."

Same goes for lifting, lower the load.

Alicia says for most people, it's easier to workout in the evening, before you break fast.

When you do eat, eat healthy- protein and vegetables and slow-burning carbohydrates like oatmeal, quinia, rice or yams.

Also, don't overeat, avoid greasy foods and avoid sugary foods.

And if your fast includes no water, as it does for Muslims during Ramadan, then make sure you're drinking extra when you break fast so you can try to stay more hydrated.

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