Is It Safe to Exercise While Fasting?

The answer is YES, it is safe to exercise while you are fasting. But it is always better to keep your exercise regimen on a lower profile while you are fasting. Exercising during fasting has always been a debatable issue. Basically, fasting is a kind of test of your willpower and patience.

The activity level differs from person to person but one needs to plan before following an exercising schedule during fasting. Now the question arises: why it is safe to exercise during fasting? Or the question can be rephrased as what are the benefits experienced by exercising during fasting?

Basically there are two circulatory systems in the human body: Cardiovascular Circulatory System and Lymphatic Circulatory System. Exercising during fasting basically improves your lymphatic circulatory system. The lymphatic circulatory system basically is a network of ducts and nodes distributed throughout your body. Lymph system carries all the waste material to the center of the body from where it is eliminated.

The lymphatic fluid is circulated throughout the body with the help of muscular contraction. Hence moderate activity or exercise during fasting stimulates the muscular contraction. The enhanced muscular contraction and lymphatic circulation improves the process of detoxification. To stimulate muscular contraction you don’t need to work out for long. Even simple and easy exercises like deep breathing exercises, walking or stretching can also stimulate muscular contraction.

Usually it is said that never exercise after eating or drinking something. But in the case of exercising during fasting, it is better to perform exercise after you break your fast. According to an experiment mentioned in the Journal of Applied Physiology exercising after breaking the fast reduces the rate of muscle glycogen depletion and increases fat utilization.

According to a research study published in the Journal of Nutrition people exercising while fasting tend to lose weight faster as compared to people who only fast. The research study also showed that there was a marginal difference between weights lost by the two groups. It is always better to do light exercises during fasting.

In case of over-exercise you might have to face problems like headaches, vomiting, dizziness, etc. Hence it is better to be careful when you exercise during the fasting period. You also need to understand that only to a certain limit your body can handle the pressure of detoxification.