I am a dentist by profession and a personal trainer by passion, ensure you know the difference, or for some people, this is the same thing. A few years ago, I made a promise to myself to become more physically fit. Growing up, I suffered from eating disorders, constant weight fluctuation, and a feeling of self-hate. In my attempt to address all of these negative areas of my life, I commenced my journey in fitness and it has been one of the most rewarding decisions I have ever made! Has that journey been easy? Absolutely not! As cliché as it sounds, no one ever said it would be! I am not one for regret, and as believers we are not supposed to be an ummah of regret, but if there is one thing I would change about my journey towards adulthood, it would be to have made a commitment to fitness a lot earlier in my life and It is not just because of the physical health benefits but more about the mental resilience it has instilled in me.

Three years into my fitness journey, I became a personal trainer with one aim: to motivate and inspire women, especially Muslim women! I want Muslim women to look after their mental and physical health through fitness and a balanced approach to eating.  Let’s face it, most of us originate from cultures that are based on food and the love of food. There is no problem with this at all, we just have to balance it out with a burpee or two along the way!

---

Related

From an eating disorder to a fitness instructor

Ramadan as a fitness instructor

10 ways to get fit for busy people

---

My Gym Journey

I started wearing the hijab in 2015, three months after I began my fitness journey. One day during Ramadan, I was working out at my local gym. A non-Muslim guy approached me and asked me whether I was fasting that day.  When I replied, “Yes,” he responded with acclaim: “Wow! I have nothing but admiration for you!”  Up until that point, I simply saw myself as a girl in the gym and never really considered the message I was sending by wearing a hijab while I worked out. I realised then that, through my hijab and modest attire, I had un- purposefully intertwined my religious beliefs with my fitness regime. The consequence of this choice was that every time I walked into the gym, I would no longer be just a female gym goer, but inter-sectionally identified as a female Muslim gym goer.

I came to this epiphany around the same time that Muslim women were under intense scrutiny, what with burkini bans and flippant comments constantly being made about the perceived oppression of Muslim women. I discovered the immense power my new identity gave me; I discovered that I held the ability to change the perception of Muslim women, one person at a time,  starting with my local gym.

Months later, I was becoming a faster, fitter, and stronger Muslim woman gym goer. People were constantly approaching me, asking me whether I was a personal trainer and if I could train them. These comments flattered me extremely; that by being myself and pushing myself as hard as I could in the gym (I wouldn’t be me if I wasn’t pushing myself any less!) I was simultaneously making a positive impression on many non-Muslims.

Months passed by, and I was becoming faster, fitter and stronger in the gym, not just as a gym goer but as a so-called Muslim woman in the gym. I was having people come up to me in the gym, asking me if I was a personal trainer and if I could train them. I recall being extremely flattered, that just my being myself, pushing myself as hard as I could in the gym (because I would not be satisfied if I did anything less) that I was making a positive impression on many non-muslims.

Sticking it out

So, why have I stuck to an intense fitness regime for so long, and why am I compelling you to consider working out, you ask?Well, firstly, we already know that exercise releases so-called ‘happy chemicals’ in our brains. I can vouch for that! Exercise has been the one constant mood lifter for me on days when I can feel utterly rubbish! Guaranteed, I will leave the gym feeling better. Coming from a community that brushes mental health under the carpet, the gym has been my best friend in helping me develop mental toughness that allows me to handle other situations in everyday life. I think it is an underutilized and underemphasized weapon that we have in our armamentarium. We need to take control back for our mental health!

Secondly, we live in an age where there is so much focus on beauty being skin-deep. So many of us are concerned with our eyebrows being on fleek, highlighter on point, new designs of abayas, and posting beautified selfies on Instagram looking for the most likes. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that, but why aren’t we thinking about how our bodies are a gift from God that need to be looked after? That squatting and deadlifting of your own bodyweight is actually pretty awesome and empowering! Being able to walk into a weights room at the gym and comfortably pick up a set of dumbbells and work your magic is Just. So. Badass! Even from home, we can choose to follow fitness programmes from YouTube no need to even leave your room!

We, as women, have been bestowed by Allah with immense mental and physical strength. We endure so much, so why not show our bodies love and care by being the best we can be physically?

Why not protect ourselves from pertinent health problems rife in our communities such as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and depression? Why not be super fit for our kids, and set the best example we can so we can instill in them good habits and live a long and healthy life with them? You, my beautiful strong ladies, also have that ability. You also have the opportunity to be a badass, you are not weak.  In fact, you are fit. You are healthy. You are mentally resilient, and you will not allow anyone to tear you down. You have the power to change perceptions by just choosing your health over everything else.

That is why I am in the gym, I choose to give myself a chance to grow old gracefully and in good health. I also choose to empower other Muslim women to realise their true potential, their abilities beyond social and cultural norms, and to break stereotypes that surround us due to our religion and choice to wear the hijab.

So, choose your health and see how rapidly everything else changes for the better in shaa Allah!