Benefits of Keeping Exercising During Fasting for Children
“Sports, right, makes you tired. The fast will not be strong. ” Perhaps you also have the same general perception about keeping exercising during fasting. But, Ma, you need to know that children still need to exercise during fasting. Exercise will keep their stamina and body fitter.
Child fitness practitioner, Ivander Elvindy who is also the Advance General Manager of Rockstar Gym Kota Kasablanka, Jakarta, revealed that exercising during fasting does not only have physical benefits for children, but also for their psychology. Here Parenting Indonesia summarizes it:
Physical Benefits
Some of the physical benefits children get from exercising during fasting are:
Increase stamina & endurance: By continuing to exercise, fitness will be maintained so that the body remains stamina and becomes stronger fasting. In addition, fasting also serves to detoxify the body from toxins. When the body is clean from toxins and added with exercise, the body’s resistance will increase.
Maintain and maintain muscle mass: Keeping up with sports even when fasting will help maintain muscle mass. Muscles that are not trained regularly can cause mass loss.
Burn calories and fat: Often times when they are fasting, children eat more than normal on days. When breaking the fast, they usually eat a variety of foods ranging from drinks and sweet foods to foods that contain saturated fats. It is not uncommon for mothers to mention that when fasting, their children actually gain weight. So, so that your little one’s weight is maintained, exercise during fasting needs to be done.
Psychological Benefits
Apparently according to American Psychological Association, exercising while fasting also has many psychological benefits, you know, namely:
Practice Patience: Fasting itself is useful for exercising patience. Exercising while fasting can add to these patience training points. Because, children will learn to be patient not to drink and eat during breaks in each exercise session.
Train Self-Confidence: When they realize that they are strong in physical activity during fasting, their self-confidence will emerge and strengthen.
Teaching Self-Winning: Yes, sport is not just about winning in competition when fasting. When fasting, the intensity of the exercise really needs to be lowered. However, that does not mean the children lose. They have won themselves that they can balance their bodily abilities.
Reduces Stress: We all know that exercise does have benefits for reducing stress. Now, if your little one is not doing any activity, he will tend to just count the time and expect the hour to break the fast. This will bore him and stress him out. By exercising, that problem can be reduced.
Improve Sleep Quality: When fasting, children have to get up early to eat sahur. Well, exercise can release hormones that make children relax so that they have a good sleep. That way, your little one’s sleep quality is maintained even if you have to wake up early.
Well, for Mama, if your little one is enthusiastic about exercising, there’s no need to worry that he will be weak or unable to fast. Keep encouraging and supporting him.
Also read:
5 Sports Rules for Children during Fasting
Before Running Sports Children, Prepare This!
Rules of Drinking and Eating Before and After Exercising
Children’s First Fast
Healthy exercise while fasting
(LELA LATIFA)
PHOTOS: FREEPIC
