Should You Work Out if You’re Fasting?
If you’re one of many people who occasionally abstain from eating for religious or health reasons, you’ll need to adjust your workout schedule, too, experts say. Exercise is an essential component of a healthy lifestyle. Regular physical activity may help you control your weight, reduce your risk of heart disease and diabetes, and strengthen muscles and bones, per MedlinePlus. Sometimes, however, you may want to approach exercise with caution. Abstaining from food and drink for a set time — a practice known as fasting — is one of those instances.
Is it Safe to Work Out if You’re Fasting? For the most part, it’s okay to work out if you’re fasting, “especially if you’re already generally healthy,” says William Dixon, MD, an emergency medicine physician and a clinical assistant professor at Stanford University in California.
Certain populations should be careful, though. People with coronary artery disease (a condition in which the arteries struggle to deliver blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart), as well as those taking medication for hypertension (high blood pressure) and diabetes are the primary groups who need to be cautious.
Excerpted from Everyday Health
