JEDDAH, 29 September 2006 — An hour before iftar when most people are thirsty and their stomachs are growling with hunger and when most people feel too weak to even stand, there are some Saudis who prefer to go on a jog to burn some fat.
Pre-iftar joggers across Jeddah say it is the best time to burn extra fat and also a brilliant way to pass time just before sunset.
People have thought for years that jogging after iftar is good for your health but according to these joggers, jogging before iftar is a wonderful weight-losing activity. However, before putting on your jogging shoes and hitting the streets in the hot humid Jeddah weather, you’d better think twice. According to health experts, jogging before iftar can damage a person’s health.
One jogger is Ramzi, who together with his father and younger brother regularly jogs before iftar. “It’s a good time to go out for a jog to burn the extra calories,” he said, adding, “In our family it has turned into a father and son activity when we end up going out together. It’s better than sitting at home and feeling weak. At least it keeps us away from the smell of food cooking in the kitchen.”
Adel Radah goes running everyday for an hour before breaking fast. “Since I’ve not eaten anything all day, I’m sure more fat is being burned, I can feel it,” he said.
Most of the joggers Arab News spoke to don’t leave enough time between jogging and having their iftar. The longest period of time between the two activities was reported to be 30 minutes.
Samir Al-Jihani, a resident of the Al-Thager district, plays soccer with his friends during the afternoon. “We stop playing 10 minutes before the call to prayer at sunset. My performance is much lower than normal days and sometimes my hands start to shake as I feel very weak,” said Al-Jihani.
However, health experts advise against such physically demanding exercise when fasting. Amna Malik, a dietitian at the Suleiman Faqih Hospital, said it is unhealthy and a health hazard to jog before iftar.
“The body has no fluids and you’re losing a lot more when you’re jogging, which can cause a severe case of dehydration especially since the climate in the Kingdom is very hot,” she said.
Malik added that when exercising, people should neither eat an hour before nor an hour later. “When fasting, body muscles weaken and one of the most important body muscles is the heart which also becomes weak,” she explained, adding, “Yes they are burning fat but you can burn the same amount of fat even when you’re not fasting.”
