Q: I'm a Muslim, and we begin the holy month of fasting soon. Where we don't eat and drink from sunrise to sunset. I gym regularly and eat healthy. I want to know when to train during this month, how many times a week?

A: This is a very good question because not only will it be difficult to exercise during fasting due to the lack of energy but also nutrition plays such a vital role in the performance gains made from exercise. In saying this though, if you time your exercise sessions properly and do the correct type of exercise you can still benefit from the exercise even during fasting and therefore will not lose shape and fitness during Ramadan.

Firstly, the time of day you exercise is important. It's recommended that you exercise just before you break fast in the evenings so that you can replace all that has been lost during the day and during your exercise straight after your session. This is very important and good nutritious foods need to be taken in at night to ensure optimal post exercise recovery.

Depending on your schedule you can also train just after you break fast in the evenings. Ensure that you have eaten small portions of something light and easily digestible before you train if you choose to train at this time and again eat a nutritious meal post-exercise as well. Training at this time will ensure that the body does not lack motor co-ordination and muscle fibre recruitment from fasting all day and therefore training can be more effective at this time. This, of course, is dependent on your work and family schedules though.

Secondly, the frequency (how often you train) is important. If you exercise on a regular basis then it will be sufficient for you to exercise every other day during Ramadan to ensure your body receives enough rest and nutrition to recover. If, however, you are new to exercise ensure that you train with a qualified professional to guide you through the correct intensities and durations of exercise.

Therefore, you can still train up to three to four times per week depending on your current level of fitness.

The next important factor to consider is the type of exercise you will be doing during this time. It is advisable to make your sessions shorter and less intense, so as to avoid placing more stress on the physiological systems within the body due to fasting. Try to avoid high-impact sports during the day and allow these to occur when you train just before breaking fast or just after breaking fast in the evenings. Ideally, weight training should take place after you break fast, as you will not be using muscle glycogen as the fuel for your training.

Lastly, avoid overtraining during this month. Overtraining during this time will cause you to lose strength and endurance, also there are other health risks involved. Listen to your body when training; don't exercise if your body is telling you to stop (for instance if you feel light headed and dizzy or sick).

These guidelines for training are exactly that – guidelines. It is vital that you realise that without the proper nutrition you will not be able to train during Ramadan even if you follow these training guidelines. The training will not be beneficial, and perhaps even detrimental, if nutrition and training guidelines are not followed.

I hope that these tips help and I wish all our Muslim readers a Happy Ramadan!